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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $513 in Aba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $744 in Aba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $975 in Aba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Aba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Aba 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.30 ₦7,213

-63.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$10.48 ₦14.3K

77.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.20 ₦7,084

50.38%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.38 ₦514

123.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.27 ₦368

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.02 ₦1,391

108.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.28 ₦1,743

191.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.05 ₦2,788

-20.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$4.11 ₦5,596

-72.26%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.44 ₦3,321

-20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$1.50 ₦2,049

980.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.30 ₦7,222

-41.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.41 ₦552

295.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.51 ₦690

211.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.28 ₦1,749

9.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.55 ₦743

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.19 ₦1,620

294.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.36 ₦10.0K

153.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.55 ₦743

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.51 ₦688

176.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.48 ₦657

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.10 ₦2,856

273.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.68 ₦925

86.76%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$14.08 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$12.78 ₦17.4K

221.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.46 ₦8,801

7.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

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

$299 ฿9,766

$92.0 ₦125.3K

225.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$21.13 ₦28.8K

158.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$15.60 ₦21.3K

71.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$519 ₦706.7K

-17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$314 ₦428.2K

-24.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$792 ₦1.1M

1.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$469 ₦638.1K

10.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$95.1 ₦129.5K

549.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $519 in Aba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 549% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $10.00 in Aba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $102 – making Aba 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $770 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $513 in Aba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.0 in Aba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $513 in Aba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Aba. 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.