Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aswan and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Aswan: $434 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Aswan
🇪🇬 Egypt
$434
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aswan and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aswan and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $434 per month in Aswan vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Aswan $434
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $701 per month in Aswan vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Aswan $701
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $969 per month in Aswan vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Aswan $969
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Aswan is about 53% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Aswan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Aswan 68% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.88 E£207
$2.29 ฿76.5
69.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.90 E£796
$19.64 ฿656
-24.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.69 E£250
$5.61 ฿188
-16.40%
Cappuccino
$1.31 E£70.0
$1.66 ฿55.6
-21.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 E£15.98
$0.70 ฿23.40
-57.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£7.36
$0.31 ฿10.24
-54.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.30 E£69.2
$2.41 ฿80.4
-46.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 E£154
$3.71 ฿124
-22.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 E£46.25
$1.95 ฿65.3
-55.38%
White Bread (500g)
$0.65 E£34.78
$1.41 ฿47.03
-53.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.58 E£31.05
$1.31 ฿43.62
-55.73%
Eggs
$1.20 E£64.2
$2.18 ฿72.9
-44.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.24 E£173
$16.65 ฿556
-80.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.08 E£218
$2.76 ฿92.2
47.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.85 E£419
$9.11 ฿304
-13.83%
Apples (1kg)
$1.47 E£78.3
$2.39 ฿80.0
-38.49%
Banana (1kg)
$0.67 E£35.88
$1.03 ฿34.26
-34.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.49 E£26.11
$1.63 ฿54.4
-69.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.35 E£18.89
$1.50 ฿50.0
-76.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 E£18.31
$1.29 ฿43.13
-73.64%
Onion (1kg)
$0.33 E£17.85
$1.11 ฿37.03
-70.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.25 E£13.21
$0.72 ฿24.08
-65.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.17 E£8.83
$0.53 ฿17.59
-67.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.87 E£99.8
$4.31 ฿144
-56.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.32 E£338
$17.95 ฿600
-64.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 E£64.0
$1.58 ฿52.9
-24.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 E£107
$2.84 ฿95.0
-29.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 E£9.69
$0.86 ฿28.86
-79.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.40 E£21.12
$1.21 ฿40.29
-66.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 E£11.60
$0.57 ฿18.99
-61.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 E£63.8
$2.35 ฿78.6
-49.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.45 E£24.21
$1.44 ฿47.96
-68.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K E£1.7M
$20.7K ฿692.8K
53.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K E£1.3M
$26.8K ฿895.7K
-6.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$15.10 E£806
$62.3 ฿2,083
-75.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.64 E£354
$12.11 ฿405
-45.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.16 E£703
$19.94 ฿666
-34.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.36 E£874
$37.07 ฿1,239
-55.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.78 E£255
$3.78 ฿126
26.46%
Cinema Ticket
$2.93 E£157
$6.50 ฿217
-54.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$86.6 E£4,622
$793 ฿26.5K
-89.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,865 E£99.6K
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-87.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.97 E£906
$53.7 ฿1,796
-68.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.04 E£2,405
$24.62 ฿823
82.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,132
$90.9 ฿3,036
26.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.8 E£2,982
$71.1 ฿2,378
-21.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$133 E£7,091
$455 ฿15.2K
-70.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$76.9 E£4,108
$298 ฿9,954
-74.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$253 E£13.5K
$908 ฿30.4K
-72.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$144 E£7,713
$554 ฿18.5K
-73.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$767 E£40.9K
$1,931 ฿64.5K
-60.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$347 E£18.5K
$1,445 ฿48.3K
-75.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$591 ฿19.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
5.57
191.02%

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

Last update for Aswan: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Aswan
$118
Chiang Mai
$235 98.9% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Aswan
$105
Chiang Mai
$108 3.3% $3.5
Accommodation & Living
Aswan
$77
Chiang Mai
$298 287% $221
Eating Out
Aswan
$75
Chiang Mai
$79 5% $3.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aswan
$35
Chiang Mai
$94 171% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Aswan
$22
Chiang Mai
$50 125% $28
Getting Around
Aswan
$2.2 *
Chiang Mai
$61 2650% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Aswan versus $455 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Aswan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $118 vs $235 – making Aswan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Aswan
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
13:51 1:51 PM
17:51 5:51 PM
4 h ahead of Aswan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
241,261
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aswan Chiang Mai 6,810 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aswan
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Aswan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Aswan?
Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 113%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $651 per month in Aswan and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aswan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Aswan or in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Aswan and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Aswan and in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 99% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Aswan or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aswan, where all-in costs run around $434, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Aswan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Aswan or Chiang Mai more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Aswan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Aswan or Chiang Mai?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Aswan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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