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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Ansan versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,219 in Ansan versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Ansan versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ansan is roughly 67% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ansan is 8% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 ₩11.4K

$1.94 ฿63.5

289.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.71 ₩34.4K

$18.64 ฿609

21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₩7,748

$7.82 ฿255

-34.65%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,928

$1.95 ฿63.8

100.51%

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

$1.68 ₩2,552

$0.85 ฿27.77

97.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₩1,145

$0.35 ฿11.58

117.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 ₩4,536

$2.13 ฿69.6

40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₩5,440

$3.73 ฿122

-3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,383

$1.71 ฿56.0

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 ₩5,155

$1.63 ฿53.2

108.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 ₩4,847

$1.14 ฿37.15

180.70%

Eggs

$3.04 ₩4,601

$1.93 ฿63.1

57.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.23 ₩21.6K

$16.21 ฿530

-12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.88 ₩16.5K

$3.12 ฿102

248.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.94 ₩51.4K

$10.90 ฿356

211.38%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 ₩11.7K

$2.75 ฿90.0

180.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,319

$1.21 ฿39.52

190.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 ₩8,580

$1.62 ฿53.0

249.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ₩9,709

$1.59 ฿51.8

303.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ₩5,883

$1.40 ฿45.70

177.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,358

$1.17 ฿38.17

146.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,962

$0.66 ฿21.60

295.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,917

$0.53 ฿17.22

139.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,976

$4.69 ฿153

-30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 ₩25.5K

$18.66 ฿609

-9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₩3,561

$1.80 ฿58.8

30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₩4,902

$3.23 ฿106

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$0.90 ฿29.26

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,310

$1.41 ฿45.91

148.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩816

$1.29 ฿42.12

-58.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 ₩13.2K

$7.84 ฿256

10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,831

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$28.1K ₩42.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

32.09%

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

$25.0K ₩37.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

12.47%

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

$164 ₩249.1K

$69.1 ฿2,256

137.96%

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

$35.28 ₩53.5K

$14.08 ฿460

150.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 ₩33.2K

$18.00 ฿588

21.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.03 ₩44.0K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-29.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 ₩16.7K

$5.92 ฿193

86.32%

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

$418 ₩632.8K

$299 ฿9,766

39.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩35.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

54.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ₩87.6K

$54.7 ฿1,787

5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.42 ₩73.4K

$26.77 ฿874

80.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ₩119.9K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩179.2K

$70.6 ฿2,306

67.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩680.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₩552.6K

$237 ฿7,752

53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ₩1.7M

$801 ฿26.2K

36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ₩1.1M

$515 ฿16.8K

42.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.1K ₩32.0M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

968.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 ₩2.0M

$617 ฿20.2K

115.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

-17.20%

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

Last update for Ansan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Ansan and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ansan pays 115% 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: $23.00 in Ansan vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $246 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ansan pays 115% 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: $449 in Ansan versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $418 in Ansan versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $23.00 in Ansan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,448 in Ansan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ansan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ansan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ansan 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 67% less than in Ansan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.