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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $477 in Arak versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Arak versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $993 in Arak versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Arak costs roughly 50% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arak 65% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 $3.58

$2.10 ฿69.3

70.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.09 $13.09

$19.84 ฿656

-34.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 $4.09

$5.79 ฿191

-29.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 $0.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 $0.57

Cappuccino

$1.30 $1.30

$1.83 ฿60.4

-28.96%

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

$0.48 $0.48

$0.78 ฿25.61

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$0.31 ฿10.37

441.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 $0.55

$2.03 ฿67.1

-72.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.60 ฿52.7

-67.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.42 ฿46.75

36.62%

Eggs

$1.27 $1.27

$2.18 ฿71.9

-41.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$15.91 ฿526

-85.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.07 ฿102

-14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.87 ฿326

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$2.63 ฿86.8

-70.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.10 ฿36.19

-10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.63 ฿53.8

-58.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.53 ฿50.6

-67.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 $0.41

$1.24 ฿41.13

-66.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 $0.41

$1.13 ฿37.37

-63.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.74 ฿24.38

-29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.50 ฿16.48

-42.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 $2.45

$4.28 ฿141

-42.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 $0.11

$0.94 ฿31.13

-88.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.71 $7.71

$55.3 ฿1,827

-86.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.23 $0.23

$1.23 ฿40.76

-81.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 $0.11

$0.53 ฿17.66

-79.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.40 ฿79.3

-58.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.08 $0.08

$1.44 ฿47.55

-94.44%

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

$49.3K $49.3K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

132.45%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

30.39%

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

$10.08 $10.08

$64.9 ฿2,145

-84.48%

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

$1.48 $1.48

$13.35 ฿441

-88.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.74 $3.74

$20.83 ฿688

-82.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.05 $10.05

$40.42 ฿1,336

-75.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.78 $24.78

$3.95 ฿131

527.34%

Cinema Ticket

$1.07 $1.07

$6.71 ฿222

-84.05%

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

$85.5 $85.5

$787 ฿26.0K

-89.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,383 $2,383

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-84.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.59 $13.59

$56.2 ฿1,858

-75.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 $8.70

$24.95 ฿824

-65.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$92.7 ฿3,063

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 $51.1

$75.1 ฿2,482

-32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 $285

$484 ฿16.0K

-41.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 $200

$287 ฿9,491

-30.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 $674

$910 ฿30.1K

-25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 $338

$531 ฿17.5K

-36.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,326 $1,326

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-33.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$534 $534

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-63.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$372 $372

$605 ฿20.0K

-38.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

5.57

232.14%

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

Last update for Arak: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Arak and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 63% 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: $13.00 in Arak vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $242 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Arak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Arak versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $477 per month in Arak versus $950 in Chiang Mai – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 617% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $477 in Arak versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Arak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Arak 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 Arak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.