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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Auce vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,028 per month in Auce vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,724 per month in Auce vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Auce costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Auce sits 0% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 €10.08

$2.04 ฿68.4

466.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 €50.2

$18.71 ฿626

207.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 €6.59

$7.86 ฿263

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$3.31 €2.88

$2.03 ฿67.9

63.05%

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

$1.79 €1.56

$0.80 ฿26.71

123.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.35 ฿11.71

291.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 €4.17

$2.14 ฿71.7

123.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.55

$3.67 ฿123

-20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.73 ฿57.8

-23.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.57 ฿52.5

3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.66

$1.20 ฿40.10

154.17%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.75

$1.97 ฿66.0

60.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 €10.32

$16.23 ฿543

-27.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.45 €6.49

$3.06 ฿102

143.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 €10.29

$10.80 ฿361

9.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 €1.18

$2.77 ฿92.6

-51.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.17 ฿39.05

43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.32

$1.71 ฿57.1

56.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 €3.02

$1.59 ฿53.3

117.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.39 ฿46.63

-31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.16 ฿38.67

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.50

$0.66 ฿22.11

160.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.77

$0.52 ฿17.35

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 €4.72

$4.65 ฿155

16.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.79 ฿59.8

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.92

$3.34 ฿112

-33.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.91 ฿30.35

4.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.33 €31.67

$18.64 ฿624

94.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 €2.14

$1.41 ฿47.17

74.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.34 ฿44.82

-36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.65 €10.16

$8.11 ฿271

43.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.23 ฿41.27

46.34%

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

$30.0K €26.2K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

40.07%

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

42.39%

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

$319 €278

$71.3 ฿2,386

347.16%

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

$17.20 €15.00

$14.01 ฿469

22.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.32 €16.84

$17.93 ฿600

7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 €44.15

$40.82 ฿1,365

24.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €10.00

$5.72 ฿191

100.52%

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

$544 €474

$308 ฿10.3K

76.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.9K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

8.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €78.2

$55.8 ฿1,865

60.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 €40.58

$26.04 ฿871

78.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 €82.8

$84.8 ฿2,837

12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €120

$71.0 ฿2,375

93.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 €308

$423 ฿14.2K

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 €222

$242 ฿8,110

5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 €664

$797 ฿26.7K

-4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 €399

$507 ฿17.0K

-9.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

-18.00%

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

Last update for Auce: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Auce versus $423 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 $58.0 in Auce versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Auce vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Auce wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Auce costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,998 per month in Auce and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $544 per month in Auce and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Auce – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Auce at $1,332. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auce it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,332 in Auce. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auce makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.