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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $2,229 in Abadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $3,283 in Abadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $4,337 in Abadan.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 58% less than in Abadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Abadan is 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$31.62 TMT 106

-93.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$84.8 TMT 284

-76.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$13.00 TMT 43.56

-56.38%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$6.93 TMT 23.23

-73.88%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.53 TMT 5.13

-49.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.87 TMT 2.93

-59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$5.62 TMT 18.82

-60.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$13.61 TMT 45.60

-72.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$4.49 TMT 15.04

-54.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.01 TMT 6.74

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$5.79 TMT 19.41

-75.82%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.89 TMT 19.74

-61.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$37.63 TMT 126

-56.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$20.03 TMT 67.1

-85.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$23.49 TMT 78.7

-59.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.18 TMT 17.36

-48.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$8.24 TMT 27.62

-86.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$7.56 TMT 25.32

-78.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$3.75 TMT 12.57

-61.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.23 TMT 7.47

-42.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.41 TMT 4.72

-24.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.69 TMT 9.01

-73.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.12 TMT 3.76

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$25.90 TMT 86.8

-83.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$41.06 TMT 138

-55.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$5.29 TMT 17.72

-69.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.88 TMT 9.65

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.87 TMT 9.62

-59.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.88 TMT 2.93

-34.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$8.49 TMT 28.43

-71.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.42 TMT 1.40

245.24%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$44.7K TMT 149.7K

-52.97%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$57.7K TMT 193.1K

-54.17%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$579 TMT 1,939

-89.00%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$56.9 TMT 191

-77.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$101 TMT 338

-79.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.61 TMT 28.84

-23.58%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$22.94 TMT 76.9

3317.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$24.3K TMT 81.5K

-39.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$55.4 TMT 186

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$117 TMT 390

-78.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$368 TMT 1,233

-74.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$191 TMT 641

-61.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.5

-41.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abadan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $85.0 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $668 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $3,344 in Abadan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $22.94 in Abadan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $85.0 in Abadan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $2,229 in Abadan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Abadan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abadan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Abadan 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 139% less than in Abadan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.