Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Abadan, Iran

Name: Abadan
Address: Abadan, IR

For one person, living is cheaper in Abadan: $534 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Abadan
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Abadan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Abadan

🇮🇷 Iran

$534

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Abadan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Abadan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $534 in Abadan.

Chiang Mai $935
Abadan $534

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $851 in Abadan.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Abadan $851

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $1,167 in Abadan.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Abadan $1,167

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 75% more expensive than in Abadan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Abadan 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$2.96 $2.96

-28.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$16.06 $16.06

15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$3.94 $3.94

42.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.10 $1.10

50.91%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.49 $0.49

32.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.98 $0.98

-69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.04 $1.04

94.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.48 $0.48

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$2.07 $2.07

-32.85%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.18 $1.18

100.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$4.50 $4.50

267.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$3.41 $3.41

-21.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$10.39 $10.39

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$1.03 $1.03

133.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.61 $1.61

-35.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$0.86 $0.86

93.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$0.56 $0.56

178.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$0.54 $0.54

129.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$0.47 $0.47

131.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$0.57 $0.57

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.24 $0.24

112.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.53 $2.53

62.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.14 $0.14

564.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$9.46 $9.46

459.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.38 $0.38

210.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.29 $0.29

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$2.64 $2.64

-31.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$0.09 $0.09

1533.33%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$50.0K $50.0K

-57.96%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$45.1K $45.1K

-41.26%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$13.23 $13.23

372.86%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$1.58 $1.58

634.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$4.02 $4.02

404.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$18.95 $18.95

99.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$13.28 $13.28

-72.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$1.95 $1.95

233.85%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$108 $108

570.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$2,416 $2,416

585.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$22.77 $22.77

135.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$28.89 $28.89

-14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$96.2 $96.2

-6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$73.1 $73.1

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$290 $290

65.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$208 $208

49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$799 $799

32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$363 $363

81.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$712 $712

239.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$1,037 $1,037

55.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$447 $447

32.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

24.3

-77.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Abadan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Abadan

$208 38.9% 32.9% $102

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Abadan

$119 22.2% 49.9% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Abadan

$99 18.6% 8.2% $8.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Abadan

$19 3.5% 80.1% $76

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Abadan

$55 10.2% 28.8% $22

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Abadan

$12 2.2% 79.8% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Abadan

$23 4.3% 55.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $290 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 33% 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: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $16 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $119 per month, with Abadan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇷 Abadan

🕒 Local time

18:27 6:27 PM

14:57 2:57 PM

3 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

231,476

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Abadan 5,240 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Abadan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Abadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abadan is about 43% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Chiang Mai, 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: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $290 in Abadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $16 versus $19 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $935 per month in Chiang Mai versus $534 in Abadan – Abadan is about 43% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

Expats usually find Abadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.