Cost of Living Comparison Between Aliso Viejo, CA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Aliso Viejo, CA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,881 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,580 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,280 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aliso Viejo, CA is roughly 359% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aliso Viejo, CA is 190% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$1.95 ฿62.8

1204.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$18.43 ฿594

450.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 $11.22

$7.50 ฿241

49.60%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$1.93 ฿62.3

184.97%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$0.78 ฿25.08

283.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.32 ฿10.42

631.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.55 $8.55

$2.15 ฿69.2

297.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.02 $9.02

$3.71 ฿120

143.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.71 ฿55.2

-29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.56 ฿50.3

176.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$1.18 ฿38.06

302.54%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$1.98 ฿63.9

121.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$16.04 ฿517

-22.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$3.17 ฿102

257.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$10.94 ฿353

32.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$2.63 ฿84.7

148.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.17 ฿37.61

58.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.65 ฿53.0

129.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.54 ฿49.51

213.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.38 ฿44.34

115.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.17 ฿37.54

118.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.66 ฿21.25

187.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.51 ฿16.55

309.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$4.52 ฿146

135.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$18.32 ฿590

-17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.80 ฿57.9

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.18 ฿102

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.90 ฿28.97

236.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.41 ฿45.50

185.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.31 ฿42.15

52.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$8.09 ฿261

266.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.28 ฿41.08

-3.13%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

35.74%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

22.56%

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

$182 $182

$69.2 ฿2,230

163.34%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$13.97 ฿450

290.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$17.95 ฿578

298.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 $50.4

$42.31 ฿1,363

19.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$5.92 ฿191

208.78%

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

$1,760 $1,760

$299 ฿9,640

488.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

63.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 $61.2

$56.2 ฿1,810

8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.85 $46.85

$26.94 ฿868

73.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$84.9 ฿2,735

16.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$71.8 ฿2,314

107.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$435 ฿14.0K

556.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$240 ฿7,727

933.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,046 $4,046

$798 ฿25.7K

407.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,173 $4,173

$498 ฿16.1K

737.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,206 $7,206

$1,995 ฿64.3K

261.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,539 $6,539

$1,532 ฿49.4K

326.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,862 $7,862

$628 ฿20.2K

1151.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

29.80%

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

Last update for Aliso Viejo, CA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,855 in Aliso Viejo, CA and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aliso Viejo, CA pays 1151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Aliso Viejo, CA vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $244 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Aliso Viejo, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aliso Viejo, CA and Chiang Mai differ by about 359% in total monthly costs ($3,881 vs $845 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aliso Viejo, CA pays 1151% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,855 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Aliso Viejo, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,881 per month in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 359% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $3,881 in Aliso Viejo, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aliso Viejo, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Aliso Viejo, CA 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.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 359% less than in Aliso Viejo, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.