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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $789 in Abovyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,306 in Abovyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,822 in Abovyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Abovyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Abovyan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Abovyan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.38 ֏3,821

-81.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$51.7 ֏19.0K

-63.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.95 ֏2,926

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.46 ֏1,275

-43.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.96 ֏352

-11.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.53 ֏194

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.85 ֏682

15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.03 ֏1,484

-7.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.66 ֏610

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.88 ֏325

85.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.32 ֏853

-50.86%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.37 ֏872

-18.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.18 ֏3,010

98.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.60 ֏2,797

-58.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.13 ֏4,463

-10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.30 ֏480

111.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 ֏632

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.80 ֏662

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.24 ֏823

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.76 ֏281

84.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.75 ֏276

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.83 ֏304

-20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.68 ֏251

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.64 ֏971

77.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.66 ֏3,925

75.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.32 ֏487

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.18 ֏803

48.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.50 ֏183

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.60 ֏588

-11.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.31 ֏115

316.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.65 ֏1,710

68.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.37 ֏503

-7.30%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.0K ֏11.8M

-33.47%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$37.3K ֏13.7M

-40.48%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$131 ֏48.3K

-47.34%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.81 ֏3,244

59.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.59 ֏7,576

-12.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.70 ֏2,467

-11.64%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$368 ֏135.5K

-18.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,757 ֏2.9M

92.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$109 ֏40.1K

-49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$59.3 ֏21.8K

-54.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$141 ֏51.7K

-39.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$140 ֏51.6K

-49.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$976 ֏359.3K

-36.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.53

-67.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abovyan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 58% higher in Abovyan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Abovyan. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Abovyan – so Abovyan 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 Abovyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,184 in Abovyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $52.0 in Abovyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $789 in Abovyan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Abovyan – 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 Abovyan. 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.