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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Akbuk vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Akbuk vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,341 per month in Akbuk vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Akbuk costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Akbuk and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Akbuk 19% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 ₺458

$2.08 ฿69.3

351.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.00 ₺1,512

$19.61 ฿653

58.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 ₺479

$5.67 ฿189

73.19%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ₺165

$1.81 ฿60.1

86.19%

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

$2.14 ₺104

$0.77 ฿25.58

177.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₺19.60

$0.35 ฿11.49

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 ₺186

$2.21 ฿73.7

72.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 ₺287

$3.79 ฿126

55.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺51.1

$2.05 ฿68.2

-48.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₺48.07

$1.51 ฿50.4

-34.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 ₺115

$1.40 ฿46.57

68.57%

Eggs

$1.93 ₺93.9

$2.26 ฿75.2

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 ₺598

$16.19 ฿539

-24.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 ₺285

$2.90 ฿96.4

101.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.23 ₺1,279

$9.42 ฿314

178.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₺71.5

$2.68 ฿89.2

-45.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 ₺113

$1.09 ฿36.28

112.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₺63.4

$1.62 ฿53.8

-19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 ₺66.5

$1.46 ฿48.61

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺34.53

$1.28 ฿42.54

-44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₺28.48

$1.06 ฿35.21

-45.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 ₺92.8

$0.72 ฿23.88

163.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₺30.64

$0.53 ฿17.51

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 ₺131

$4.23 ฿141

-36.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 ₺659

$18.29 ฿609

-26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺118

$1.63 ฿54.3

48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₺148

$2.90 ฿96.6

4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ₺34.53

$0.88 ฿29.24

-19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.89 ₺1,653

$53.8 ฿1,790

-36.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺64.7

$1.17 ฿39.04

13.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ₺48.97

$0.58 ฿19.25

72.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 ₺258

$2.39 ฿79.4

121.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₺68.0

$1.45 ฿48.28

-4.14%

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

$48.5K ₺2.4M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

130.69%

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

$45.9K ₺2.2M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

73.67%

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

$65.5 ₺3,193

$63.7 ฿2,119

2.89%

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

$9.55 ₺465

$12.89 ฿429

-25.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.72 ₺1,010

$20.52 ฿683

0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ₺2,587

$39.02 ฿1,299

35.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 ₺428

$6.58 ฿219

33.28%

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

$621 ₺30.3K

$784 ฿26.1K

-20.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₺581.1K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-18.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 ₺2,257

$55.1 ฿1,835

-16.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 ₺2,899

$24.74 ฿824

140.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 ₺4,254

$94.1 ฿3,133

-7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 ₺3,829

$74.0 ฿2,462

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 ₺20.6K

$490 ฿16.3K

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₺15.0K

$288 ฿9,594

6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 ₺38.3K

$891 ฿29.7K

-11.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₺28.1K

$521 ฿17.3K

10.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,283 ₺62.6K

$1,974 ฿65.7K

-34.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 ₺50.1K

$1,444 ฿48.1K

-28.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.17

5.57

603.23%

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

Last update for Akbuk: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Akbuk versus $490 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Akbuk versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Yes – Akbuk is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Akbuk and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% more in Akbuk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Akbuk and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Akbuk at $1,111. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akbuk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Akbuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.