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: $836 in Assela versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Assela versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,554 in Assela versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Assela costs roughly 12% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 39% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ETB 632

$2.08 ฿68.6

89.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.27 ETB 6,949

$19.64 ฿646

120.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ETB 1,070

$5.65 ฿186

17.88%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 152

$1.81 ฿59.4

-47.51%

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

$0.60 ETB 95.9

$0.71 ฿23.45

-15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.32 ฿10.38

96.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 123

$2.24 ฿73.6

-65.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ETB 366

$3.63 ฿119

-37.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 172

$1.96 ฿64.4

-45.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ETB 193

$1.50 ฿49.39

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ETB 338

$1.34 ฿43.93

57.46%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

$2.26 ฿74.5

-23.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 ETB 1,167

$16.26 ฿535

-55.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 ETB 1,621

$2.95 ฿97.1

242.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 ETB 1,471

$9.94 ฿327

-7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ETB 846

$2.57 ฿84.6

105.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$1.06 ฿34.73

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

$1.61 ฿53.0

36.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 107

$1.52 ฿49.97

-55.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 79.9

$1.27 ฿41.77

-60.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.07 ฿35.06

-0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.72 ฿23.68

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.4

$0.51 ฿16.72

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 ETB 1,273

$4.19 ฿138

89.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ETB 881

$17.87 ฿587

-69.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 105

$1.69 ฿55.7

-60.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ETB 198

$2.84 ฿93.3

-56.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 210

$1.23 ฿40.59

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.34

$0.58 ฿18.96

-53.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ETB 319

$2.42 ฿79.7

-17.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

$1.41 ฿46.43

-31.21%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

153.16%

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

$54.9K ETB 8.8M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

100.91%

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

$208 ETB 33.4K

$63.7 ฿2,093

226.35%

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

$7.28 ETB 1,170

$12.85 ฿423

-43.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$210 ETB 33.8K

$20.22 ฿665

940.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 ETB 620

$6.74 ฿222

-42.73%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

$778 ฿25.6K

-82.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ETB 4.8M

$14.6K ฿480.4K

102.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.35 ETB 5,356

$54.3 ฿1,785

-38.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.2K

$25.45 ฿837

175.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 ETB 12.8K

$94.3 ฿3,102

-15.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 ETB 13.3K

$73.4 ฿2,415

13.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

5.57

232.14%

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

Last update for Assela: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Assela vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $240, with Assela cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,254 in Assela and $1,421 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 $137 in Assela versus $778 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 $43.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Assela versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 13% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.