🙂A single person spends $466 per month in Aswan vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $719 per month in Aswan vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $972 per month in Aswan vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Aswan is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Aswan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Aswan65% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.08E£259
$1.96฿65.8
159.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.24E£421
$18.35฿617
-55.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.70E£189
$7.48฿252
-50.53%
Cappuccino
$0.96E£48.93
$2.02฿67.8
-52.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27E£13.61
$0.85฿28.50
-68.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11E£5.40
$0.36฿11.96
-69.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.16E£59.4
$2.14฿71.8
-45.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99E£153
$3.59฿121
-16.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.91E£46.58
$1.65฿55.5
-44.85%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57E£29.34
$1.57฿52.7
-63.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.65E£33.18
$1.19฿40.02
-45.38%
Eggs
$1.45E£73.9
$1.94฿65.1
-25.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.40E£174
$16.19฿544
-79.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.35E£222
$2.99฿101
45.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.81E£450
$10.94฿368
-19.47%
Apples(1kg)
$1.41E£72.2
$2.71฿91.2
-47.97%
Banana(1kg)
$0.54E£27.65
$1.17฿39.25
-53.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.43E£21.71
$1.69฿56.7
-74.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.37E£18.84
$1.60฿54.0
-76.88%
Potato(1kg)
$0.41E£20.77
$1.38฿46.54
-70.29%
Onion(1kg)
$0.44E£22.50
$1.20฿40.45
-63.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.24E£12.30
$0.67฿22.50
-64.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20E£10.30
$0.56฿18.73
-64.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.91E£97.5
$4.64฿156
-58.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.12E£363
$17.62฿593
-59.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31E£66.9
$1.86฿62.5
-29.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85E£94.5
$3.30฿111
-43.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18E£9.13
$0.88฿29.68
-79.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.34฿650
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.42E£21.27
$1.36฿45.90
-69.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31E£15.91
$1.34฿44.98
-76.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.97E£101
$8.21฿276
-76.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.33E£17.02
$1.22฿41.18
-72.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9KE£1.8M
$21.4K฿718.1K
68.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7KE£1.7M
$22.5K฿757.7K
49.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$12.00E£612
$70.7฿2,376
-83.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.60E£337
$14.04฿472
-52.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.42E£532
$17.49฿588
-40.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.49E£1,148
$42.15฿1,417
-46.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.88฿231
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.01E£154
$5.92฿199
-49.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$88.9E£4,537
$309฿10.4K
-71.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,876E£95.8K
$14.9K฿500.4K
-87.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.72E£1,415
$55.8฿1,875
-50.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.68E£2,434
$26.11฿878
82.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109E£5,562
$83.0฿2,792
31.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.3E£2,617
$70.5฿2,369
-27.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$191E£9,731
$432฿14.5K
-55.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$99.9E£5,100
$239฿8,035
-58.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$307E£15.7K
$822฿27.7K
-62.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180E£9,172
$512฿17.2K
-64.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$892E£45.5K
$1,915฿64.4K
-53.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$425E£21.7K
$1,467฿49.3K
-71.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aswan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$579฿19.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.67
5
233.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aswan: July 13, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Aswan versus $432 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 $8.00 in Aswan versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $125 vs $243 – making Aswan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 85%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $698 per month in Aswan and $1,292 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 $8.00 in Aswan and $18.00 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 94% 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 $1,000 enough for either Aswan or Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $466 in Aswan and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
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.