😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,080 in Ajka versus $861 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,624 in Ajka versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,168 in Ajka versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Ajka is roughly 25% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ajka19% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.66Ft 2,433
$1.96฿65.9
290.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.99Ft 7,306
$18.35฿617
25.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.80Ft 1,842
$7.48฿252
-22.46%
Cappuccino
$1.18Ft 376
$2.02฿67.8
-41.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13Ft 360
$0.85฿28.52
32.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61Ft 192
$0.36฿11.97
69.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.25Ft 396
$2.14฿71.9
-41.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18Ft 376
$3.59฿121
-67.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11Ft 351
$1.65฿55.5
-32.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.69Ft 538
$1.57฿52.7
7.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.53Ft 805
$1.19฿40.05
112.61%
Eggs
$3.16Ft 1,003
$1.94฿65.1
62.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.96Ft 2,528
$16.19฿545
-50.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.78Ft 1,838
$2.99฿101
93.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.95Ft 5,703
$10.94฿368
64.08%
Apples(1kg)
$1.85Ft 588
$2.71฿91.2
-31.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.84Ft 585
$1.17฿39.27
57.26%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.98Ft 631
$1.69฿56.8
17.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.80Ft 891
$1.60฿54.0
75.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.05Ft 335
$1.38฿46.56
-23.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15Ft 365
$1.20฿40.47
-4.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45Ft 459
$0.67฿22.51
116.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48Ft 152
$0.56฿18.74
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.54Ft 2,396
$4.64฿156
62.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.20Ft 1,651
$17.62฿593
-70.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94Ft 297
$1.86฿62.6
-49.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44Ft 457
$3.30฿111
-56.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.16Ft 369
$0.88฿29.70
31.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.56Ft 7,805
$19.34฿651
26.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.74Ft 871
$1.36฿45.92
101.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.33Ft 422
$1.34฿45.00
-0.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.18Ft 5,460
$8.21฿276
109.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.67Ft 532
$1.22฿41.20
36.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3KFt 8.4M
$21.4K฿718.5K
23.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1KFt 8.0M
$22.5K฿758.1K
11.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$106Ft 33.6K
$70.7฿2,378
49.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.46Ft 8,090
$14.04฿472
81.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.55Ft 5,896
$17.49฿589
6.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.29Ft 15.0K
$42.15฿1,418
12.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52Ft 5,250
$6.88฿231
140.12%
Cinema Ticket
$8.51Ft 2,705
$5.92฿199
43.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$225Ft 71.4K
$309฿10.4K
-27.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,430Ft 2.0M
$14.9K฿500.7K
-56.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108Ft 34.4K
$55.8฿1,876
94.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.88Ft 9,495
$26.11฿879
14.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.7Ft 27.2K
$83.0฿2,793
3.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109Ft 34.6K
$70.5฿2,371
54.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$437Ft 138.9K
$432฿14.5K
1.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$350Ft 111.3K
$239฿8,040
46.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$634Ft 201.6K
$822฿27.7K
-22.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$531Ft 168.6K
$512฿17.2K
3.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,093Ft 982.7K
$1,915฿64.4K
61.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,434Ft 773.5K
$1,467฿49.4K
65.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ajka
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$579฿19.5K
-
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: July 13, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Ajka and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $23.00 in Ajka vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $243, 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 in Chiang Mai?
Ajka and Chiang Mai differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,080 vs $861 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 $1,619 in Ajka and $1,292 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 in Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Ajka versus $432 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 in Chiang Mai?
A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 27% 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 $225 in Ajka versus $309 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 $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,080 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 25% less than in Ajka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.