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: $1,402 in Ansan versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,195 in Ansan versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,987 in Ansan versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ansan is roughly 63% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ansan is 5% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 ₩11.0K

$1.96 ฿65.9

277.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 ₩34.6K

$18.35 ฿617

26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 ₩7,776

$7.48 ฿252

-30.08%

Cappuccino

$3.97 ₩5,910

$2.02 ฿67.8

96.53%

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

$1.75 ₩2,604

$0.85 ฿28.52

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₩1,040

$0.36 ฿11.97

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₩4,349

$2.14 ฿71.9

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₩5,442

$3.59 ฿121

1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,345

$1.65 ฿55.5

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,168

$1.57 ฿52.7

121.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,828

$1.19 ฿40.05

172.27%

Eggs

$3.11 ₩4,628

$1.94 ฿65.1

60.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.6K

$16.19 ฿545

-10.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.66 ₩15.9K

$2.99 ฿101

256.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.69 ₩50.1K

$10.94 ฿368

207.95%

Apples (1kg)

$7.95 ₩11.8K

$2.71 ฿91.2

193.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩5,135

$1.17 ฿39.27

194.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 ₩8,473

$1.69 ฿56.8

236.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 ₩9,672

$1.60 ฿54.0

306.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₩5,738

$1.38 ฿46.56

179.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,345

$1.20 ฿40.47

143.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 ₩3,710

$0.67 ฿22.51

271.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,902

$0.56 ฿18.74

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ₩4,780

$4.64 ฿156

-30.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.49 ₩24.5K

$17.62 ฿593

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₩3,660

$1.86 ฿62.6

32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₩4,790

$3.30 ฿111

-2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,596

$0.88 ฿29.70

21.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,135

$1.36 ฿45.92

153.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩855

$1.34 ฿45.00

-57.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ₩13.4K

$8.21 ฿276

10.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,806

$1.22 ฿41.20

-0.82%

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

$27.8K ₩41.4M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

30.31%

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

$24.9K ₩37.1M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

10.53%

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

$163 ₩243.1K

$70.7 ฿2,378

131.23%

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

$35.04 ₩52.1K

$14.04 ฿472

149.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.10 ₩32.9K

$17.49 ฿589

26.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 ₩43.5K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-30.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 ₩16.1K

$5.92 ฿199

82.94%

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

$421 ₩625.8K

$309 ฿10.4K

36.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.3M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

59.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩86.2K

$55.8 ฿1,876

3.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.19 ₩70.2K

$26.11 ฿879

80.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₩120.6K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-2.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩171.3K

$70.5 ฿2,371

63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₩655.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 ₩542.0K

$239 ฿8,040

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 ₩1.6M

$822 ฿27.7K

31.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 ₩1.1M

$512 ฿17.2K

45.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.8K ₩32.5M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

1039.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,324 ₩2.0M

$579 ฿19.5K

128.59%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Ansan and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ansan pays 129% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $491 vs $243 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 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 129% higher in Ansan, 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: $440 in Ansan versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $421 in Ansan versus $309 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 $18.00 versus $23.00 in Ansan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,402 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 63% less than in Ansan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.