😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Augusta, ME versus $852 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,211 in Augusta, ME versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,250 in Augusta, ME versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.
😐Living in Augusta, ME is roughly 155% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Augusta, ME is 62% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.02$20.02
$1.96฿64.0
921.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.4$74.4
$18.81฿615
295.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.55$7.55
$7.92฿259
-4.67%
Cappuccino
$5.05$5.05
$1.91฿62.6
164.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29$2.29
$0.84฿27.41
172.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85$1.85
$0.35฿11.51
428.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.86$4.86
$2.21฿72.1
119.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97$5.97
$3.80฿124
57.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13$1.13
$1.64฿53.5
-31.10%
White Bread(500g)
$3.47$3.47
$1.62฿53.1
114.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.74$1.74
$1.18฿38.62
47.46%
Eggs
$3.70$3.70
$2.01฿65.8
84.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.59$16.59
$15.89฿520
4.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.21$12.21
$3.01฿98.5
305.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.65$18.65
$10.77฿352
73.17%
Apples(1kg)
$4.43$4.43
$2.61฿85.5
69.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.29$1.29
$1.22฿39.88
5.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.10$3.10
$1.70฿55.7
82.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.69$6.69
$1.58฿51.5
323.42%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16$2.16
$1.32฿43.14
63.64%
Onion(1kg)
$3.25$3.25
$1.17฿38.23
177.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.87$2.87
$0.67฿21.98
328.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47$1.47
$0.56฿18.32
162.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.85$8.85
$4.53฿148
95.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.83$14.83
$18.20฿595
-18.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.87$2.87
$1.83฿60.0
56.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$3.23฿106
-39.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02$2.02
$0.89฿29.00
126.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.38฿634
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.62$2.62
$1.35฿44.20
94.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.27$1.27
$1.35฿44.05
-5.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.86$27.86
$8.25฿270
237.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85$0.85
$1.27฿41.64
-33.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K$29.7K
$21.2K฿691.8K
40.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K$25.1K
$22.5K฿735.3K
11.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$195$195
$70.2฿2,294
178.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.0$57.0
$13.77฿450
313.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.2$75.2
$17.60฿575
327.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.58$30.58
$41.57฿1,360
-26.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.60฿216
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.15$13.15
$5.78฿189
127.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,814$2,814
$306฿10.0K
819.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$27.7K$27.7K
$14.8K฿484.8K
86.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.2$67.2
$54.4฿1,778
23.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.27$44.27
$26.14฿855
69.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.1$86.1
$84.5฿2,764
1.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148$148
$69.4฿2,270
113.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,064$1,064
$424฿13.9K
151.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$941$941
$238฿7,788
295.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,589$1,589
$825฿27.0K
92.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,450$1,450
$515฿16.8K
181.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,334$2,334
$2,049฿67.0K
13.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,408$2,408
$1,523฿49.8K
58.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Augusta, ME
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,970$1,970
$635฿20.8K
210.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.43
5
28.60%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Augusta, ME: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,064 in Augusta, ME and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Augusta, ME pays 210% 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: $74.0 in Augusta, ME vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Augusta, ME vs Chiang Mai: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Augusta, ME and Chiang Mai?
Augusta, ME and Chiang Mai differ by about 155% in total monthly costs ($2,171 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Augusta, ME or Chiang Mai?
Augusta, ME pays 210% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Augusta, ME and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,064 in Augusta, ME versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Augusta, ME and Chiang Mai?
Childcare runs $2,814 in Augusta, ME versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $74.0 in Augusta, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,171 in Augusta, ME, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Augusta, ME. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Augusta, ME and Chiang Mai?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Augusta, ME or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Augusta, ME 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.
Where should expats move: Augusta, ME or Chiang Mai?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Augusta, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Augusta, ME vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado