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 $1,097 per month in Akbuk vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Akbuk vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,408 per month in Akbuk vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Akbuk costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Akbuk and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Akbuk 18% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 ₺358

$1.94 ฿63.5

302.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.38 ₺2,131

$18.64 ฿609

148.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 ₺321

$7.82 ฿255

-10.49%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ₺124

$1.95 ฿63.8

38.46%

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

$1.76 ₺80.7

$0.85 ฿27.77

107.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.56

$0.35 ฿11.58

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 ₺139

$2.13 ฿69.6

42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₺189

$3.73 ฿122

9.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 ₺40.58

$1.71 ฿56.0

-48.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₺45.14

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ₺68.3

$1.14 ฿37.15

30.70%

Eggs

$1.71 ₺78.6

$1.93 ฿63.1

-11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 ₺385

$16.21 ฿530

-48.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺252

$3.12 ฿102

76.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.39 ₺891

$10.90 ฿356

77.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 ₺52.4

$2.75 ฿90.0

-58.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ₺97.5

$1.21 ฿39.52

75.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₺50.3

$1.62 ฿53.0

-32.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ₺51.0

$1.59 ฿51.8

-30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₺25.67

$1.40 ฿45.70

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₺20.82

$1.17 ฿38.17

-61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ₺60.7

$0.66 ฿21.60

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₺15.79

$0.53 ฿17.22

-35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 ₺98.1

$4.69 ฿153

-54.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.00 ₺597

$18.66 ฿609

-30.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₺78.9

$1.80 ฿58.8

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₺95.7

$3.23 ฿106

-35.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ₺30.67

$0.90 ฿29.26

-25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.94 ₺1,376

$19.21 ฿628

55.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₺47.94

$1.41 ฿45.91

-26.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ₺49.27

$1.29 ฿42.12

-17.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 ₺353

$7.84 ฿256

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺57.2

$1.27 ฿41.58

-2.36%

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

$41.2K ₺1.9M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

93.50%

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

$41.2K ₺1.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

85.44%

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

$47.58 ₺2,186

$69.1 ฿2,256

-31.11%

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

$7.75 ₺356

$14.08 ฿460

-44.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.69 ₺721

$18.00 ฿588

-12.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.72 ₺2,009

$41.06 ฿1,341

6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 ₺297

$5.92 ฿193

9.12%

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

$604 ₺27.7K

$299 ฿9,766

101.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,867 ₺407.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-40.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 ₺3,454

$54.7 ฿1,787

37.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.40 ₺2,086

$26.77 ฿874

69.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 ₺7,201

$85.0 ฿2,776

84.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₺5,059

$70.6 ฿2,306

55.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₺23.5K

$428 ฿14.0K

19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₺18.0K

$237 ฿7,752

65.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₺40.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 ₺32.9K

$515 ฿16.8K

38.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,335 ₺61.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-32.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$919 ₺42.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-37.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.08

741.60%

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

Last update for Akbuk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Akbuk 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Akbuk versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Akbuk vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Akbuk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 27%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,646 per month in Akbuk 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Akbuk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Akbuk and $19.00 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 $866, than in Akbuk at $1,097. 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.