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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $673 per month in Ambato vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,005 per month in Ambato vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,336 per month in Ambato vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ambato is about 22% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ambato and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 50% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 $2.97

$1.96 ฿65.9

51.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 $24.88

$18.35 ฿617

35.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 $5.27

$7.48 ฿252

-29.55%

Cappuccino

$2.51 $2.51

$2.02 ฿67.8

24.26%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$0.85 ฿28.52

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.36 ฿11.97

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.14 ฿71.9

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.59 ฿121

-5.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.65 ฿55.5

-38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.57 ฿52.7

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.19 ฿40.05

32.77%

Eggs

$1.95 $1.95

$1.94 ฿65.1

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$16.19 ฿545

-81.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.99 ฿101

1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$10.94 ฿368

-64.08%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.71 ฿91.2

-63.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.17 ฿39.27

-16.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.69 ฿56.8

-42.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.60 ฿54.0

-36.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.38 ฿46.56

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 ฿40.47

-18.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.67 ฿22.51

-31.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.56 ฿18.74

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.64 ฿156

21.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 $8.97

$17.62 ฿593

-49.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.86 ฿62.6

-22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.30 ฿111

-7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.88 ฿29.70

-64.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.71 $23.71

$19.34 ฿651

22.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.36 ฿45.92

-54.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.34 ฿45.00

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 $9.27

$8.21 ฿276

12.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.22 ฿41.20

-47.54%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

39.74%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

29.13%

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

$39.27 $39.27

$70.7 ฿2,378

-44.43%

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

$13.82 $13.82

$14.04 ฿472

-1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.90 $30.90

$17.49 ฿589

76.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 $29.48

$42.15 ฿1,418

-30.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 $14.45

$6.88 ฿231

110.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 $6.33

$5.92 ฿199

6.93%

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

$246 $246

$309 ฿10.4K

-20.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,434 $2,434

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-83.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$55.8 ฿1,876

-8.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 $38.12

$26.11 ฿879

46.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$83.0 ฿2,793

4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 $59.3

$70.5 ฿2,371

-15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 $346

$432 ฿14.5K

-20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 $189

$239 ฿8,040

-21.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 $629

$822 ฿27.7K

-23.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 $246

$512 ฿17.2K

-51.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 $1,130

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-40.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$884 $884

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-39.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 $664

$579 ฿19.5K

14.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Ambato: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Ambato versus $432 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.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Ambato, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ambato versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $140 in Ambato vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Ambato 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Ambato, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,009 per month in Ambato and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ambato and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $673 in Ambato and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $673 in Ambato and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $673 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ambato. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.