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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,006 in Abaza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,556 in Abaza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,106 in Abaza.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 7% less than in Abaza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Abaza 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$10.85 ₽917

-80.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$36.69 ₽3,101

-46.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.90 ₽499

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.68 ₽227

-32.46%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.10 ₽92.7

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.60 ₽50.8

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.74 ₽147

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.79 ₽235

35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.08 ₽91.3

89.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.70 ₽59.4

115.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.35 ₽114

3.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.56 ₽132

44.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.95 ₽925

47.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.89 ₽413

-40.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$10.59 ₽895

-11.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.68 ₽142

59.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.78 ₽150

-38.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.71 ₽144

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.77 ₽234

-47.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.70 ₽59.1

82.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.58 ₽49.17

82.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.27 ₽107

-43.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.69 ₽58.1

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.73 ₽231

54.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$7.65 ₽647

139.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.03 ₽87.0

58.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.01 ₽169

44.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.49 ₽41.15

79.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.29 ₽194

-48.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.30 ₽25.75

93.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$5.18 ₽438

-53.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.76 ₽64.3

90.79%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$32.3K ₽2.7M

-34.97%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.7K ₽2.7M

-16.73%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$117 ₽9,929

-45.83%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$5.83 ₽493

121.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$8.27 ₽699

148.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$34.76 ₽2,937

12.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$23.33 ₽1,971

-83.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.99 ₽506

9.85%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$307 ₽25.9K

155.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$6,365 ₽537.9K

130.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$67.2 ₽5,680

-18.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$44.46 ₽3,757

-44.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$116 ₽9,801

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$98.5 ₽8,326

-24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$452 ₽38.2K

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$304 ₽25.7K

-5.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$776 ₽65.6K

14.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$522 ₽44.1K

-0.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$2,241 ₽189.4K

-11.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,471 ₽124.3K

-1.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,133 ₽95.8K

-46.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-73.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abaza: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $452 in Abaza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abaza pays 88% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $37.00 in Abaza. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $199, with Abaza cheaper for home cooking.

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 Abaza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Abaza. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $452 in Abaza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $307 in Abaza. 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 $37.00 in Abaza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,006 in Abaza, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Abaza. 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 Abaza, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Abaza 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 8% less than in Abaza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.