Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, CO and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, CO and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,091 in Aurora, CO versus $872 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,323 in Aurora, CO versus $1,337 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,555 in Aurora, CO versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aurora, CO is roughly 254% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aurora, CO is 129% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$2.01 ฿64.5

878.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$18.23 ฿584

233.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 $12.77

$7.65 ฿245

66.93%

Cappuccino

$4.19 $4.19

$1.92 ฿61.5

118.23%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$0.84 ฿26.97

189.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.36 ฿11.42

444.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.19 ฿70.2

79.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.79 ฿121

56.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.64 ฿52.5

-43.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.62 ฿52.0

80.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.15 ฿36.98

164.35%

Eggs

$2.75 $2.75

$1.94 ฿62.2

41.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 $8.82

$15.94 ฿511

-44.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 $9.26

$3.10 ฿99.5

198.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$11.07 ฿355

57.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.71 ฿86.8

22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.18 ฿37.80

29.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.71 ฿54.7

83.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.61 ฿51.5

179.50%

Potato (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.39 ฿44.66

305.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.15 ฿36.81

250.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.71 ฿22.83

181.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$0.55 ฿17.65

580.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 $9.48

$4.57 ฿146

107.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 $19.69

$18.87 ฿605

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.82 ฿58.4

-6.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.21 ฿103

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.88 ฿28.24

232.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$175 $175

$18.89 ฿606

826.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.41 ฿45.30

150.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.30 ฿41.71

21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.09 $29.09

$8.20 ฿263

254.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.23 ฿39.29

-35.77%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

38.10%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

16.03%

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

$173 $173

$69.9 ฿2,240

147.55%

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

$63.0 $63.0

$14.07 ฿451

347.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 $54.2

$17.70 ฿567

206.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.01 $12.01

$41.41 ฿1,328

-71.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 $13.17

$5.74 ฿184

129.44%

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

$1,319 $1,319

$299 ฿9,593

340.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

58.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 $43.43

$54.8 ฿1,758

-20.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 $50.9

$26.35 ฿845

93.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$84.7 ฿2,714

31.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$69.7 ฿2,236

62.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$427 ฿13.7K

359.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 $1,780

$241 ฿7,718

639.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 $3,055

$811 ฿26.0K

276.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,673 $2,673

$498 ฿16.0K

436.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,155 $3,155

$2,022 ฿64.8K

56.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$1,524 ฿48.9K

107.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,101 $4,101

$639 ฿20.5K

541.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

29.00%

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

Last update for Aurora, CO: April 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,961 in Aurora, CO and $427 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aurora, CO pays 542% 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 in Aurora, CO vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $246 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

Aurora, CO vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 254% lower than in Aurora, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Aurora, CO pays 542% more on average, 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: $1,961 in Aurora, CO versus $427 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Aurora, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $61.0 in Aurora, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $872 in Chiang Mai versus $3,091 in Aurora, CO, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aurora, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $872 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Aurora, CO 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 254% less than in Aurora, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.