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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Ariana vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Ariana vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,463 per month in Ariana vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ariana is about 19% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ariana and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ariana 48% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 TND 11.63

$2.04 ฿68.2

94.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.14 TND 50.3

$18.71 ฿624

-8.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 TND 14.28

$7.86 ฿262

-38.04%

Cappuccino

$0.76 TND 2.24

$2.03 ฿67.7

-62.56%

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

$0.63 TND 1.85

$0.80 ฿26.64

-21.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$0.35 ฿11.68

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.35

$2.14 ฿71.5

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.78

$3.67 ฿122

-46.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$1.73 ฿57.6

-70.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$1.57 ฿52.4

-87.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 TND 4.42

$1.20 ฿39.99

25.83%

Eggs

$1.55 TND 4.55

$1.97 ฿65.8

-21.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 TND 30.77

$16.23 ฿541

-35.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 TND 17.87

$3.06 ฿102

99.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 TND 40.31

$10.80 ฿360

27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 TND 6.16

$2.77 ฿92.3

-24.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 TND 8.75

$1.17 ฿38.94

154.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.30

$1.71 ฿57.0

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.07

$1.59 ฿53.2

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 TND 2.37

$1.39 ฿46.51

-41.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.13

$1.16 ฿38.56

-37.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$0.66 ฿22.05

-25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$0.52 ฿17.31

-44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 TND 10.39

$4.65 ฿155

-23.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.83 TND 20.03

$17.78 ฿593

-61.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 TND 3.91

$1.79 ฿59.6

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 TND 4.81

$3.34 ฿111

-50.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$0.91 ฿30.27

-63.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.01 TND 29.36

$18.64 ฿622

-46.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.95

$1.41 ฿47.04

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.98

$1.34 ฿44.70

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 TND 12.28

$8.11 ฿270

-48.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.48

$1.23 ฿41.16

-31.71%

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

$36.9K TND 108.2K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

71.96%

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

$34.4K TND 100.8K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

57.46%

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

$59.0 TND 173

$71.3 ฿2,379

-17.36%

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

$10.09 TND 29.60

$14.01 ฿467

-27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.70 TND 60.7

$17.93 ฿598

15.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 TND 94.7

$40.82 ฿1,362

-20.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 TND 48.92

$6.88 ฿230

142.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 TND 13.68

$5.72 ฿191

-18.53%

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

$111 TND 324

$308 ฿10.3K

-64.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,244 TND 9,519

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-77.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.62 TND 134

$55.8 ฿1,860

-18.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 TND 174

$26.04 ฿869

127.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 TND 278

$84.8 ฿2,829

11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 TND 202

$71.0 ฿2,368

-2.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 TND 728

$423 ฿14.1K

-41.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 TND 464

$242 ฿8,088

-34.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 TND 1,327

$797 ฿26.6K

-43.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 TND 853

$507 ฿16.9K

-42.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,121 TND 3,291

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-41.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$741 TND 2,173

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-49.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$335 TND 984

$595 ฿19.9K

-43.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.15

163.00%

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

Last update for Ariana: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Ariana versus $423 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 77% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $17.00 in Ariana versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $244 – making Ariana 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $693 in Ariana, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 23% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,039 per month in Ariana and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ariana and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $693 in Ariana and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $693 in Ariana to $852 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ariana. 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.