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 $691 per month in Ariana vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Ariana vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Ariana vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ariana is about 20% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ariana and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ariana 49% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 TND 11.82

$1.98 ฿64.3

104.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.11 TND 49.93

$18.80 ฿612

-8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 TND 14.74

$7.75 ฿252

-34.84%

Cappuccino

$0.74 TND 2.17

$1.92 ฿62.5

-61.46%

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

$0.64 TND 1.87

$0.79 ฿25.79

-18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.67

$0.36 ฿11.62

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 TND 4.47

$2.21 ฿72.1

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 TND 5.79

$3.66 ฿119

-45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.65 ฿53.8

-69.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.59

$1.63 ฿53.2

-87.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 TND 4.47

$1.19 ฿38.86

28.57%

Eggs

$1.55 TND 4.53

$2.00 ฿65.1

-22.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 TND 30.38

$15.98 ฿520

-34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 TND 18.06

$3.03 ฿98.5

104.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.65 TND 39.83

$10.86 ฿354

25.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.87

$2.76 ฿90.0

-27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 TND 8.67

$1.18 ฿38.42

151.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 TND 3.31

$1.64 ฿53.5

-30.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.18

$1.52 ฿49.51

-50.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.17

$1.38 ฿45.10

-46.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.11

$1.19 ฿38.84

-39.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 TND 1.53

$0.70 ฿22.86

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$0.56 ฿18.13

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.62 TND 10.56

$4.58 ฿149

-20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 TND 21.88

$16.56 ฿539

-54.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 TND 3.74

$1.83 ฿59.5

-30.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 TND 4.61

$3.20 ฿104

-50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.04

$0.88 ฿28.56

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.33 TND 30.15

$18.72 ฿610

-44.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$1.36 ฿44.16

-77.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$1.34 ฿43.65

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 TND 12.49

$7.84 ฿256

-45.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$1.23 ฿39.92

-31.71%

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

$37.8K TND 110.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

74.74%

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

$34.2K TND 99.9K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

51.83%

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

$59.2 TND 173

$70.5 ฿2,298

-16.13%

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

$9.61 TND 28.05

$13.68 ฿445

-29.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.90 TND 61.0

$17.45 ฿568

19.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.69 TND 92.5

$41.33 ฿1,346

-23.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 TND 49.13

$6.96 ฿227

141.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TND 13.62

$5.77 ฿188

-19.06%

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

$112 TND 326

$307 ฿10.0K

-63.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,361 TND 9,806

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-76.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.02 TND 131

$55.8 ฿1,817

-19.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 TND 174

$26.21 ฿854

127.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 TND 282

$85.8 ฿2,793

12.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 TND 199

$72.2 ฿2,353

-5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 TND 702

$430 ฿14.0K

-43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 TND 458

$239 ฿7,774

-34.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 TND 1,311

$817 ฿26.6K

-45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 TND 871

$511 ฿16.6K

-41.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,160 TND 3,383

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-41.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 TND 2,190

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-49.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$342 TND 997

$619 ฿20.2K

-44.76%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Ariana versus $430 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 81% 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: $193 vs $241 – 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: $691 in Ariana, $869 in Chiang Mai – roughly 26% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,037 per month in Ariana and $1,303 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 25% 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 $691 in Ariana and $869 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 $691 in Ariana to $869 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.