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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $618 in Abalessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $989 in Abalessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,360 in Abalessa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Abalessa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Abalessa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Abalessa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.3

$3.22 DZD 426

-39.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿608

$23.30 DZD 3,085

-19.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿256

$3.86 DZD 512

105.18%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿61.9

$0.73 DZD 96.1

161.64%

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

$0.84 ฿27.11

$0.61 DZD 80.5

37.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.38

$0.21 DZD 27.72

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.3

$1.93 DZD 256

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿123

$2.35 DZD 311

61.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.9

$1.03 DZD 137

59.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.13 DZD 17.48

1146.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.20

$1.57 DZD 208

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.1

$1.87 DZD 248

7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿514

$9.09 DZD 1,203

74.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿97.4

$5.15 DZD 683

-41.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿348

$16.27 DZD 2,155

-33.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿84.5

$3.17 DZD 420

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.44

$2.87 DZD 379

-57.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.1

$1.73 DZD 229

-1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.0

$0.80 DZD 107

97.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.67

$0.59 DZD 77.5

123.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.81

$0.46 DZD 61.3

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.74

$0.60 DZD 79.4

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.11

$0.28 DZD 36.85

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.80 DZD 371

61.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿589

$7.03 DZD 931

158.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.3

$1.35 DZD 178

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿104

$2.10 DZD 278

53.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.68

$0.25 DZD 33.16

256.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿627

$17.12 DZD 2,267

13.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.72

$0.65 DZD 85.8

107.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.56

$0.34 DZD 44.87

297.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿267

$5.17 DZD 684

59.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.18

$0.34 DZD 44.71

273.53%

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

$21.2K ฿684.2K

$32.4K DZD 4.3M

-34.77%

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

$22.5K ฿727.2K

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

-32.42%

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

$70.2 ฿2,269

$40.19 DZD 5,322

74.55%

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

$13.77 ฿445

$9.33 DZD 1,235

47.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿569

$17.20 DZD 2,277

2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,345

$23.35 DZD 3,092

78.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿213

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿187

$5.36 DZD 710

7.84%

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

$306 ฿9,901

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

222.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿479.4K

$3,557 DZD 471.1K

316.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,758

$36.23 DZD 4,798

50.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿845

$44.80 DZD 5,933

-41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,734

$73.9 DZD 9,792

14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,245

$76.7 DZD 10.2K

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.7K

$193 DZD 25.6K

119.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,703

$116 DZD 15.4K

104.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.7K

$276 DZD 36.6K

198.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$181 DZD 24.0K

184.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

-7.75%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abalessa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $193 in Abalessa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $23 in Abalessa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Abalessa – so Abalessa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Abalessa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $926 in Abalessa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 in Abalessa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $618 in Abalessa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $618 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Abalessa. 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.