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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $455 in Abnub, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $723 in Abnub, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $991 in Abnub, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 108% more than Abnub, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Abnub are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Abnub 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$3.40 E£173

-38.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$16.07 E£817

22.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.15 E£262

9.71%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.37 E£69.6

32.12%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.28 E£14.38

153.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.14 E£6.97

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.54 E£78.1

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.69 E£137

34.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.81 E£41.46

141.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.66 E£33.83

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.62 E£31.64

116.13%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.09 E£55.3

107.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$3.39 E£173

379.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.70 E£239

-37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$9.00 E£458

10.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.54 E£78.5

66.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.77 E£39.00

37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.52 E£26.51

209.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.34 E£17.22

347.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.32 E£16.12

296.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.33 E£16.68

224.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.24 E£12.15

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.20 E£9.99

155.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.75 E£89.0

139.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.51 E£382

137.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.10 E£56.0

53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.27 E£115

25.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.20 E£10.41

365.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.35 E£17.99

251.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.24 E£12.36

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$1.61 E£81.7

50.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.42 E£21.48

235.71%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$37.1K E£1.9M

-42.18%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$29.9K E£1.5M

-8.63%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$19.46 E£990

227.18%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$7.83 E£398

64.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$15.12 E£769

33.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$16.23 E£826

138.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$3.00 E£153

124.67%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$95.9 E£4,881

710.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$2,086 E£106.1K

600.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$16.02 E£815

238.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$49.39 E£2,513

-48.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$129 E£6,544

-26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$45.98 E£2,340

59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$159 E£8,078

208.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$85.3 E£4,341

239.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$263 E£13.4K

239.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$153 E£7,793

237.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$700 E£35.6K

179.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$438 E£22.3K

236.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Abnub: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $159 in Abnub. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Abnub. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $128 – making Abnub 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 Abnub: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 108%, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $682 in Abnub. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $16.00 in Abnub. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abnub, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Abnub it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abnub – 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 Abnub. 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.