Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashland, OH and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashland, OH and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,184 in Ashland, OH versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,861 in Ashland, OH versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,538 in Ashland, OH versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ashland, OH is roughly 152% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashland, OH is 63% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 $8.18

$1.94 ฿63.8

321.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 $39.05

$18.64 ฿611

109.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.82 ฿256

2.69%

Cappuccino

$3.68 $3.68

$1.95 ฿64.1

88.72%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$0.85 ฿27.90

102.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.35 ฿11.64

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.13 ฿69.9

129.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.73 ฿122

37.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.71 ฿56.2

-56.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.63 ฿53.4

37.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.14 ฿37.32

158.77%

Eggs

$2.58 $2.58

$1.93 ฿63.4

33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$16.21 ฿532

-29.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$3.12 ฿102

178.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$10.90 ฿357

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.75 ฿90.4

30.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.21 ฿39.70

-6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.62 ฿53.2

103.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.59 ฿52.1

140.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.40 ฿45.91

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.17 ฿38.34

71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.66 ฿21.70

240.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.53 ฿17.30

183.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$4.69 ฿154

112.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$18.66 ฿612

-57.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.80 ฿59.0

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.23 ฿106

-22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$0.90 ฿29.39

232.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$203 $203

$19.21 ฿630

954.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.41 ฿46.13

75.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.29 ฿42.31

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.31 $18.31

$7.84 ฿257

133.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.27 ฿41.77

-37.01%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

28.41%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

14.83%

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

$167 $167

$69.1 ฿2,266

141.16%

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

$33.38 $33.38

$14.08 ฿462

137.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$18.00 ฿591

254.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 $34.61

$41.06 ฿1,347

-15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 $8.27

$5.92 ฿194

39.70%

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

$1,491 $1,491

$299 ฿9,811

398.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-5.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.74 $43.74

$54.7 ฿1,795

-20.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.67 $40.67

$26.77 ฿878

51.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 $69.0

$85.0 ฿2,788

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 $65.8

$70.6 ฿2,316

-6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 $641

$428 ฿14.0K

49.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 $1,112

$237 ฿7,787

368.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$801 ฿26.3K

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 $1,257

$515 ฿16.9K

143.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 $1,824

$1,975 ฿64.8K

-7.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,018 $2,018

$1,475 ฿48.4K

36.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,245 $3,245

$617 ฿20.3K

425.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

30.20%

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

Last update for Ashland, OH: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Ashland, OH and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashland, OH pays 426% 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: $39.00 in Ashland, OH vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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

Ashland, OH vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 152% lower than in Ashland, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ashland, OH pays 426% 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: $641 in Ashland, OH 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 $39.00 in Ashland, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,184 per month in Ashland, OH versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,184 in Ashland, OH, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ashland, OH. 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, Ashland, OH 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 152% less than in Ashland, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.