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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Assela versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,237 in Assela versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,669 in Assela versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Assela costs roughly 7% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 40% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ETB 725

$1.94 ฿63.5

137.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.67 ETB 5,622

$18.64 ฿609

91.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 ETB 996

$7.82 ฿255

-19.18%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ETB 203

$1.95 ฿63.8

-33.85%

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

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.85 ฿27.77

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.3

$0.35 ฿11.58

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ETB 154

$2.13 ฿69.6

-53.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 462

$3.73 ฿122

-21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.71 ฿56.0

-15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ETB 209

$1.63 ฿53.2

-19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$1.14 ฿37.15

90.35%

Eggs

$2.46 ETB 388

$1.93 ฿63.1

27.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ETB 1,104

$16.21 ฿530

-56.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.87 ETB 2,185

$3.12 ฿102

344.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 ETB 2,112

$10.90 ฿356

22.94%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 ETB 1,078

$2.75 ฿90.0

148.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 162

$1.21 ฿39.52

-14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$1.62 ฿53.0

35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$1.59 ฿51.8

-38.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.6

$1.40 ฿45.70

-55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ETB 296

$1.17 ฿38.17

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 110

$0.66 ฿21.60

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ETB 108

$0.53 ฿17.22

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ETB 636

$4.69 ฿153

-14.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ETB 899

$18.66 ฿609

-69.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.80 ฿58.8

-45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 290

$3.23 ฿106

-43.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ETB 228

$1.41 ฿45.91

2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.53

$1.29 ฿42.12

-79.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ETB 312

$7.84 ฿256

-74.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ETB 204

$1.27 ฿41.58

1.57%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

159.23%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

145.63%

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

$159 ETB 25.0K

$69.1 ฿2,256

129.87%

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

$11.83 ETB 1,864

$14.08 ฿460

-15.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.6K

$18.00 ฿588

627.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ETB 910

$5.92 ฿193

-2.53%

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

$79.9 ETB 12.6K

$299 ฿9,766

-73.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.0K ETB 6.5M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

173.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 ETB 7,398

$54.7 ฿1,787

-14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 ETB 11.8K

$26.77 ฿874

180.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ETB 14.8K

$85.0 ฿2,776

10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.1K

$70.6 ฿2,306

63.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

240.00%

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

Last update for Assela: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Assela vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 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

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

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,208 in Assela and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $79.9 in Assela versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Assela gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Assela 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, Assela 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 Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.