😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,110 in Ajka versus $866 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,637 in Ajka versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,164 in Ajka versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.
😐Living in Ajka is roughly 28% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ajka17% lower, Chiang Mai35% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.68Ft 2,343
$1.94฿63.5
295.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.05Ft 7,029
$18.64฿609
23.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.88Ft 1,793
$7.82฿255
-24.81%
Cappuccino
$1.15Ft 350
$1.95฿63.8
-41.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19Ft 362
$0.85฿27.77
40.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59Ft 181
$0.35฿11.58
68.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.26Ft 383
$2.13฿69.6
-40.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19Ft 362
$3.73฿122
-68.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12Ft 342
$1.71฿56.0
-34.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.64Ft 500
$1.63฿53.2
0.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.53Ft 773
$1.14฿37.15
121.93%
Eggs
$3.09Ft 943
$1.93฿63.1
60.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.74Ft 2,361
$16.21฿530
-52.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.80Ft 1,768
$3.12฿102
85.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.57Ft 5,359
$10.90฿356
61.19%
Apples(1kg)
$1.88Ft 573
$2.75฿90.0
-31.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.78Ft 543
$1.21฿39.52
47.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.98Ft 603
$1.62฿53.0
22.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.90Ft 884
$1.59฿51.8
82.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.06Ft 322
$1.40฿45.70
-24.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20Ft 365
$1.17฿38.17
2.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37Ft 418
$0.66฿21.60
107.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48Ft 146
$0.53฿17.22
-9.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.56Ft 2,307
$4.69฿153
61.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.22Ft 1,592
$18.66฿609
-72.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94Ft 285
$1.80฿58.8
-47.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49Ft 455
$3.23฿106
-53.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.13Ft 345
$0.90฿29.26
25.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.14Ft 7,668
$19.21฿628
30.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.76Ft 840
$1.41฿45.91
95.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.33Ft 406
$1.29฿42.12
3.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.04Ft 5,197
$7.84฿256
117.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68Ft 513
$1.27฿41.58
32.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1KFt 7.9M
$21.3K฿694.9K
22.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4KFt 7.7M
$22.2K฿725.4K
14.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102Ft 31.2K
$69.1฿2,256
48.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.21Ft 7,687
$14.08฿460
79.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.54Ft 5,654
$18.00฿588
3.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.32Ft 14.4K
$41.06฿1,341
15.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.71Ft 5,096
$6.96฿227
140.09%
Cinema Ticket
$8.51Ft 2,594
$5.92฿193
43.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$220Ft 67.0K
$299฿9,766
-26.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,224Ft 1.9M
$15.0K฿488.3K
-58.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109Ft 33.1K
$54.7฿1,787
98.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.08Ft 9,173
$26.77฿874
12.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.3Ft 26.6K
$85.0฿2,776
2.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108Ft 33.0K
$70.6฿2,306
53.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$449Ft 136.9K
$428฿14.0K
4.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$341Ft 104.1K
$237฿7,752
43.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$637Ft 194.3K
$801฿26.2K
-20.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$538Ft 164.0K
$515฿16.8K
4.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,337Ft 1.0M
$1,975฿64.5K
68.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,550Ft 777.6K
$1,475฿48.2K
72.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$617฿20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.85
5
17.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ajka: May 31, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Ajka and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $23.00 in Ajka vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $246, with Ajka cheaper for home cooking.
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
Ajka vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ajka and Chiang Mai?
Ajka and Chiang Mai differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,110 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ajka compared to Chiang Mai?
You'd need roughly $1,665 in Ajka and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Ajka and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Ajka versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Ajka and Chiang Mai?
A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 31% less than in Ajka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ajka and Chiang Mai?
Childcare runs $220 in Ajka versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,110 in Ajka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ajka. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ajka and Chiang Mai?
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.
Is Ajka or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ajka 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.
Where should expats move: Ajka or Chiang Mai?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Ajka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.