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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $665 per month in Ankang vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,053 per month in Ankang vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,442 per month in Ankang vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ankang is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 ¥18.54

$1.96 ฿65.8

39.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.78 ¥120

$18.35 ฿617

-3.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ¥37.22

$7.48 ฿252

-26.34%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ¥15.42

$2.02 ฿67.8

12.87%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.85 ฿28.50

-49.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.36 ฿11.96

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.28

$2.14 ฿71.8

-49.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥11.68

$3.59 ฿121

-51.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥10.51

$1.65 ฿55.5

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.57 ฿52.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.96

$1.19 ฿40.02

-26.05%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.92

$1.94 ฿65.1

-16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 ¥47.43

$16.19 ฿544

-56.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.19

$2.99 ฿101

-34.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 ¥61.1

$10.94 ฿368

-17.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.82

$2.71 ฿91.2

-40.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.04

$1.17 ฿39.25

1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.76

$1.69 ฿56.7

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.11

$1.60 ฿54.0

-52.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ¥4.43

$1.38 ฿46.54

-52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.08

$1.20 ฿40.45

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.65

$0.67 ฿22.50

-19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.77

$0.56 ฿18.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ¥19.30

$4.64 ฿156

-38.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 ¥50.9

$17.62 ฿593

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.87

$1.86 ฿62.5

-61.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.42

$3.30 ฿111

-48.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.88 ฿29.68

-67.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 ¥114

$19.34 ฿650

-12.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ¥9.03

$1.36 ฿45.90

-1.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.19

$1.34 ฿44.98

-76.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 ¥27.52

$8.21 ฿276

-50.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.04

$1.22 ฿41.18

-2.46%

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

$21.2K ¥143.0K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-0.90%

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

$16.5K ¥111.3K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-26.92%

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

$45.16 ¥305

$70.7 ฿2,376

-36.10%

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

$2.98 ¥20.11

$14.04 ฿472

-78.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.85 ¥80.1

$17.49 ฿588

-32.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 ¥287

$42.15 ฿1,417

0.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 ¥95.5

$6.88 ฿231

105.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 ¥33.68

$5.92 ฿199

-15.88%

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

$328 ¥2,219

$309 ฿10.4K

6.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K ¥123.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

22.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ¥369

$55.8 ฿1,875

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥255

$26.11 ฿878

44.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ¥473

$83.0 ฿2,792

-15.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ¥469

$70.5 ฿2,369

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥1,896

$432 ฿14.5K

-35.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,281

$239 ฿8,035

-20.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥4,027

$822 ฿27.7K

-27.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ¥2,469

$512 ฿17.2K

-28.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,808 ¥19.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

46.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,849 ¥12.5K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

26.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

-13.60%

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

Last update for Ankang: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Ankang 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Ankang versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $243 – making Ankang 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $997 per month in Ankang 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 Ankang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Ankang and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $665 in Ankang and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ankang – 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 Ankang. 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.