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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $458 per month in Aja vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $744 per month in Aja vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,029 per month in Aja vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aja is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aja and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Aja 66% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 E£188

$1.94 ฿63.6

87.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 E£827

$18.64 ฿609

-14.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 E£242

$7.82 ฿256

-40.41%

Cappuccino

$1.43 E£74.4

$1.95 ฿63.9

-26.67%

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

$0.31 E£16.17

$0.85 ฿27.80

-63.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 E£4.97

$0.35 ฿11.60

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 E£62.5

$2.13 ฿69.7

-43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 E£158

$3.73 ฿122

-18.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 E£47.32

$1.71 ฿56.0

-46.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 E£32.40

$1.63 ฿53.3

-61.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 E£33.56

$1.14 ฿37.18

-42.98%

Eggs

$1.45 E£75.5

$1.93 ฿63.2

-24.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.40 E£177

$16.21 ฿530

-79.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 E£226

$3.12 ฿102

39.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 E£456

$10.90 ฿356

-19.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 E£74.4

$2.75 ฿90.1

-48.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 E£30.49

$1.21 ฿39.56

-51.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.39 E£20.30

$1.62 ฿53.0

-75.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 E£19.10

$1.59 ฿51.9

-76.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 E£19.49

$1.40 ฿45.75

-72.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.93

$1.17 ฿38.20

-65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.52

$0.66 ฿21.62

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 E£9.22

$0.53 ฿17.24

-66.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 E£104

$4.69 ฿153

-57.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 E£330

$18.66 ฿610

-65.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 E£70.1

$1.80 ฿58.8

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 E£96.7

$3.23 ฿106

-42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 E£10.52

$0.90 ฿29.28

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 E£21.72

$1.41 ฿45.96

-70.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 E£14.86

$1.29 ฿42.16

-77.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 E£105

$7.84 ฿256

-74.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 E£15.85

$1.27 ฿41.62

-75.59%

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

$35.6K E£1.8M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

67.42%

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

$33.8K E£1.8M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

52.01%

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

$11.90 E£618

$69.1 ฿2,258

-82.77%

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

$6.44 E£334

$14.08 ฿460

-54.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.67 E£554

$18.00 ฿588

-40.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 E£1,148

$41.06 ฿1,342

-46.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 E£154

$5.92 ฿193

-49.83%

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

$89.4 E£4,640

$299 ฿9,775

-70.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,825 E£94.7K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-87.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.84 E£1,445

$54.7 ฿1,788

-49.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 E£2,551

$26.77 ฿875

83.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 E£5,544

$85.0 ฿2,778

25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 E£2,604

$70.6 ฿2,308

-28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 E£9,930

$428 ฿14.0K

-55.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 E£5,264

$237 ฿7,759

-57.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 E£16.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 E£9,162

$515 ฿16.9K

-65.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$794 E£41.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-59.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$410 E£21.3K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-72.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 E£16.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

-49.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.67

233.40%

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

Last update for Aja: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Aja 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 97% 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 $16.00 in Aja versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $124 vs $246 – making Aja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Aja, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $687 per month in Aja 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 Aja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $458 in Aja and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $89.4 per month in Aja and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $458 in Aja and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aja costs $458 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Aja. 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.