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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $564 per month in Ahvaz vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $857 per month in Ahvaz vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,149 per month in Ahvaz vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ahvaz is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ahvaz and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ahvaz 58% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 $2.05

$1.94 ฿63.5

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.32 $17.32

$18.64 ฿609

-7.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.71 $3.71

$7.82 ฿255

-52.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 $0.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

Cappuccino

$1.20 $1.20

$1.95 ฿63.8

-38.46%

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

$0.42 $0.42

$0.85 ฿27.77

-50.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.35 ฿11.58

240.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.71 ฿56.0

-48.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.63 ฿53.2

-63.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.14 ฿37.15

142.11%

Eggs

$1.29 $1.29

$1.93 ฿63.1

-33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$16.21 ฿530

-75.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.12 ฿102

16.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$10.90 ฿356

-14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.75 ฿90.0

-71.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.21 ฿39.52

17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.62 ฿53.0

-51.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 $0.56

$1.59 ฿51.8

-64.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.40 ฿45.70

-57.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.17 ฿38.17

-55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.66 ฿21.60

-30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.53 ฿17.22

-41.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.98 $0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 $2.18

$4.69 ฿153

-53.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 $0.22

$0.90 ฿29.26

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 $9.90

$19.21 ฿628

-48.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.41 ฿45.91

-63.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.29 ฿42.12

-62.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$7.84 ฿256

-62.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.27 ฿41.58

-40.16%

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

$118.7K $118.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

457.80%

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

$62.8K $62.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

182.61%

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

$14.09 $14.09

$69.1 ฿2,256

-79.60%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$14.08 ฿460

-84.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.02 $7.02

$18.00 ฿588

-61.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.42 $18.42

$41.06 ฿1,341

-55.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.96 ฿227

-14.66%

Cinema Ticket

$1.19 $1.19

$5.92 ฿193

-79.90%

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

$108 $108

$299 ฿9,766

-63.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$626 $626

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-95.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.05 $20.05

$54.7 ฿1,787

-63.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.60 $24.60

$26.77 ฿874

-8.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 $98.4

$85.0 ฿2,776

15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$70.6 ฿2,306

47.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 $318

$428 ฿14.0K

-25.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 $227

$237 ฿7,752

-4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 $509

$801 ฿26.2K

-36.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 $355

$515 ฿16.8K

-31.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,256 $1,256

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-36.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$742 $742

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-49.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 $531

$617 ฿20.2K

-13.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.67

373.40%

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

Last update for Ahvaz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Ahvaz versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ahvaz versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $246 – making Ahvaz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 54%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $847 per month in Ahvaz and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ahvaz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ahvaz and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $564 in Ahvaz and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $564 in Ahvaz and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ahvaz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ahvaz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.