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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Asti versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,324 in Asti versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,974 in Asti versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Asti is roughly 94% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Asti is 25% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 €15.33

$1.96 ฿65.9

793.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 €53.5

$18.35 ฿617

233.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 €10.10

$7.48 ฿252

54.28%

Cappuccino

$1.71 €1.49

$2.02 ฿67.8

-15.35%

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

$2.95 €2.58

$0.85 ฿28.52

247.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.36 ฿11.97

230.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.17

$2.14 ฿71.9

176.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.48

$3.59 ฿121

10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.36

$1.65 ฿55.5

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.57 ฿52.7

15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 €2.40

$1.19 ฿40.05

130.25%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.06

$1.94 ฿65.1

79.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.58 €16.26

$16.19 ฿545

14.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.64 €11.06

$2.99 ฿101

322.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.93 €19.19

$10.94 ฿368

100.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 €1.84

$2.71 ฿91.2

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.52

$1.17 ฿39.27

47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$1.69 ฿56.8

55.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 €2.76

$1.60 ฿54.0

96.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.38 ฿46.56

36.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.42

$1.20 ฿40.47

35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.09

$0.67 ฿22.51

86.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 €0.37

$0.56 ฿18.74

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 €5.99

$4.64 ฿156

47.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 €5.53

$17.62 ฿593

-64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.86 ฿62.6

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.08

$3.30 ฿111

-28.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.88 ฿29.70

101.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.89 €37.52

$19.34 ฿651

121.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 €3.58

$1.36 ฿45.92

200.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.34 ฿45.00

52.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.54 €10.10

$8.21 ฿276

40.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.22 ฿41.20

64.75%

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

$27.0K €23.6K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

26.41%

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

$35.9K €31.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

59.52%

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

$176 €154

$70.7 ฿2,378

149.37%

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

$10.27 €8.99

$14.04 ฿472

-26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.89 €25.28

$17.49 ฿589

65.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.4 €67.7

$42.15 ฿1,418

83.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.69 €19.86

$6.88 ฿231

229.80%

Cinema Ticket

$10.38 €9.08

$5.92 ฿199

75.34%

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

$569 €498

$309 ฿10.4K

84.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-12.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 €67.5

$55.8 ฿1,876

38.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.72 €35.63

$26.11 ฿879

55.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 €77.6

$83.0 ฿2,793

6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €117

$70.5 ฿2,371

90.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 €457

$432 ฿14.5K

20.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 €505

$239 ฿8,040

141.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 €600

$822 ฿27.7K

-16.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 €447

$512 ฿17.2K

-0.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 €2,109

$1,915 ฿64.4K

25.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 €1,188

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-7.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,870 €1,636

$579 ฿19.5K

222.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-4.00%

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

Last update for Asti: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $522 in Asti and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asti pays 223% 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: $61.0 in Asti vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $243 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 223% higher in Asti, 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: $522 in Asti versus $432 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 $18.00 versus $61.0 in Asti. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,674 per month in Asti versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,674 in Asti, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Asti. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Asti, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Asti 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 94% less than in Asti. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.