Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguada and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguada and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,751 in Aguada versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,232 in Aguada versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Aguada versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aguada is roughly 102% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aguada is 31% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.83 $16.83

$1.94 ฿63.5

767.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$18.64 ฿609

332.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$7.82 ฿255

25.32%

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$1.95 ฿63.8

69.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.85 ฿27.77

98.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.35 ฿11.58

294.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.13 ฿69.6

45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.73 ฿122

5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.71 ฿56.0

38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.63 ฿53.2

109.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.14 ฿37.15

96.49%

Eggs

$4.41 $4.41

$1.93 ฿63.1

128.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$16.21 ฿530

-44.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$3.12 ฿102

167.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 $12.62

$10.90 ฿356

15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$2.75 ฿90.0

112.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.21 ฿39.52

118.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.62 ฿53.0

144.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.59 ฿51.8

155.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.40 ฿45.70

181.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.17 ฿38.17

150.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 $3.14

$0.66 ฿21.60

375.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.53 ฿17.22

271.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 $11.37

$4.69 ฿153

142.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.80 ฿58.8

41.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.23 ฿106

-2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.29 ฿42.12

15.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 $15.13

$7.84 ฿256

92.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.27 ฿41.58

-22.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.6K $36.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

72.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K $26.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

19.22%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$319 $319

$69.1 ฿2,256

362.15%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$14.08 ฿460

465.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$18.00 ฿588

297.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 $53.9

$41.06 ฿1,341

31.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 $11.43

$5.92 ฿193

93.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$469 $469

$299 ฿9,766

56.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-31.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.93 $44.93

$54.7 ฿1,787

-17.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$26.77 ฿874

112.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$85.0 ฿2,776

7.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$70.6 ฿2,306

51.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 $499

$428 ฿14.0K

16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 $454

$237 ฿7,752

91.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$801 ฿26.2K

123.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,216 $2,216

$617 ฿20.2K

258.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aguada: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $499 in Aguada and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays 259% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Aguada vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aguada vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguada and Chiang Mai differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,751 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aguada pays 259% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $499 in Aguada versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Aguada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,751 per month in Aguada versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,751 in Aguada, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aguada. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aguada and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Aguada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.