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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,039 in Ashkelon versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,079 in Ashkelon versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,118 in Ashkelon versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ashkelon is roughly 135% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashkelon is 52% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.48 ₪64.5

$1.94 ฿63.6

1058.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.8 ₪281

$18.64 ฿609

424.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.68 ₪47.89

$7.82 ฿256

113.30%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₪10.80

$1.95 ฿63.9

92.82%

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

$2.95 ₪8.46

$0.85 ฿27.80

247.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₪5.97

$0.35 ฿11.60

494.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 ₪25.98

$2.13 ฿69.7

324.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 ₪24.45

$3.73 ฿122

128.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₪5.75

$1.71 ฿56.0

16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 ₪7.21

$1.63 ฿53.3

53.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 ₪8.36

$1.14 ฿37.18

155.26%

Eggs

$4.23 ₪12.15

$1.93 ฿63.2

119.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.83 ₪45.43

$16.21 ฿530

-2.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 ₪32.00

$3.12 ฿102

257.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 ₪53.5

$10.90 ฿356

71.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 ₪11.13

$2.75 ฿90.1

41.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 ₪6.69

$1.21 ฿39.56

92.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₪5.38

$1.62 ฿53.0

15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 ₪6.48

$1.59 ฿51.9

42.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 ₪5.12

$1.40 ฿45.75

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 ₪5.32

$1.17 ฿38.20

58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ₪5.51

$0.66 ฿21.62

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₪3.88

$0.53 ฿17.24

154.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 ₪32.41

$4.69 ฿153

140.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.34 ₪44.05

$18.66 ฿610

-17.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₪6.67

$1.80 ฿58.8

28.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₪8.53

$3.23 ฿106

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ₪6.41

$0.90 ฿29.28

147.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.42 ₪81.6

$19.21 ฿628

47.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 ₪16.63

$1.41 ฿45.96

310.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ₪3.31

$1.29 ฿42.16

-10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.50 ₪96.2

$7.84 ฿256

327.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.72

$1.27 ฿41.62

56.69%

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

$44.6K ₪127.9K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

109.41%

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

$45.0K ₪129.1K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

102.43%

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

$259 ₪743

$69.1 ฿2,258

274.92%

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

$10.97 ₪31.50

$14.08 ฿460

-22.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.35 ₪92.9

$18.00 ฿588

79.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ₪186

$41.06 ฿1,342

58.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 ₪61.6

$6.96 ฿227

208.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ₪35.89

$5.92 ฿193

111.15%

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

$834 ₪2,395

$299 ฿9,775

178.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K ₪71.6K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

66.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ₪314

$54.7 ฿1,788

99.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 ₪155

$26.77 ฿875

101.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₪357

$85.0 ฿2,778

46.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪424

$70.6 ฿2,308

109.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ₪2,514

$428 ฿14.0K

104.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₪2,022

$237 ฿7,759

196.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 ₪3,589

$801 ฿26.2K

55.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₪2,729

$515 ฿16.9K

84.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,210 ₪17.8K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

214.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,580 ₪16.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

278.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 ₪12.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

575.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

-6.60%

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

Last update for Ashkelon: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $876 in Ashkelon and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashkelon pays 575% 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: $98.0 in Ashkelon vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $246 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Ashkelon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ashkelon pays 575% more on average, 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: $876 in Ashkelon versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $98.0 in Ashkelon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,039 per month in Ashkelon versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,039 in Ashkelon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ashkelon. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ashkelon 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 135% less than in Ashkelon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.