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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,781 per month in Arad vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,283 per month in Arad vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,785 per month in Arad vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arad costs about 202% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arad sits 103% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.09 ₪81.2

$2.11 ฿69.1

1183.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 ₪317

$19.75 ฿648

434.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.58 ₪55.7

$5.85 ฿192

217.61%

Cappuccino

$4.71 ₪14.12

$1.76 ฿57.8

167.61%

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

$3.85 ₪11.52

$0.74 ฿24.37

420.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₪8.41

$0.33 ฿10.90

751.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.01 ₪33.00

$2.47 ฿81.0

345.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.39 ₪31.14

$3.88 ฿127

167.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 ₪8.39

$1.90 ฿62.4

47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.85 ₪14.54

$1.67 ฿54.7

190.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₪9.42

$1.35 ฿44.24

132.59%

Eggs

$4.82 ₪14.43

$2.14 ฿70.2

125.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ₪39.46

$15.89 ฿521

-17.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.99 ₪62.9

$2.83 ฿92.9

641.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.81 ₪71.4

$10.53 ฿345

126.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 ₪20.12

$2.38 ฿78.2

181.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 ₪8.93

$1.07 ฿35.01

178.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 ₪9.30

$1.52 ฿49.79

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 ₪11.27

$1.50 ฿49.30

150.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₪5.39

$1.28 ฿41.96

40.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ₪4.44

$1.10 ฿36.17

34.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 ₪7.57

$0.69 ฿22.54

266.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₪6.70

$0.49 ฿16.18

357.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 ₪30.35

$4.27 ฿140

137.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 ₪40.72

$16.78 ฿550

-19.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₪10.41

$1.66 ฿54.4

109.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 ₪12.65

$2.81 ฿92.3

50.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 ₪8.66

$0.90 ฿29.44

221.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 ₪253

$54.9 ฿1,801

53.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 ₪13.30

$1.20 ฿39.24

270.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 ₪3.62

$0.54 ฿17.78

124.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.46 ₪100

$2.37 ฿77.9

1311.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.60 ₪7.80

$1.43 ฿46.88

81.82%

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

$60.5K ₪181.4K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

187.19%

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

$59.5K ₪178.4K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

119.40%

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

$197 ₪589

$64.7 ฿2,124

203.78%

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

$15.16 ₪45.42

$13.19 ฿433

14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 ₪171

$19.44 ฿638

193.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ₪198

$39.45 ฿1,294

67.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$16.60 ₪49.75

$6.62 ฿217

150.76%

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

$1,369 ₪4,101

$805 ฿26.4K

69.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ₪91.1K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

100.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 ₪387

$54.8 ฿1,796

136.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.0 ₪201

$25.43 ฿834

163.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$183 ₪550

$91.9 ฿3,015

99.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$271 ₪811

$74.7 ฿2,449

262.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 ₪4,445

$467 ฿15.3K

217.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₪3,222

$282 ฿9,251

281.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 ₪6,553

$891 ฿29.2K

145.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 ₪5,794

$521 ฿17.1K

271.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,976 ₪26.9K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

352.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 ₪20.5K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

368.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,693 ₪8,070

$592 ฿19.4K

354.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.2

5.57

-6.64%

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

Last update for Arad: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,483 in Arad versus $467 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 355% higher in Arad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Arad versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Arad costs about 202% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,172 per month in Arad and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,781 in Arad and $920 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Arad at $2,781. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $2,781 in Arad. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.