Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Acqualagna PU Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Acqualagna PU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,948 in Acqualagna PU, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,969 in Acqualagna PU, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,990 in Acqualagna PU, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Acqualagna PU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Acqualagna PU is 45% above โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.95 เธฟ62.8
$22.84 โ‚ฌ19.48
-91.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.43 เธฟ594
$81.2 โ‚ฌ69.3
-77.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.50 เธฟ241
$12.03 โ‚ฌ10.26
-37.66%
Cappuccino
$1.93 เธฟ62.3
$2.06 โ‚ฌ1.76
-6.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 เธฟ25.08
$3.57 โ‚ฌ3.05
-78.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 เธฟ10.42
$1.39 โ‚ฌ1.18
-76.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.15 เธฟ69.2
$5.86 โ‚ฌ4.99
-63.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 เธฟ120
$5.66 โ‚ฌ4.83
-34.45%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 เธฟ55.2
$1.83 โ‚ฌ1.56
-6.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 เธฟ50.3
$2.99 โ‚ฌ2.55
-47.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 เธฟ38.06
$3.47 โ‚ฌ2.96
-65.99%
Eggs
$1.98 เธฟ63.9
$4.19 โ‚ฌ3.58
-52.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.04 เธฟ517
$21.92 โ‚ฌ18.69
-26.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 เธฟ102
$13.99 โ‚ฌ11.94
-77.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.94 เธฟ353
$23.65 โ‚ฌ20.18
-53.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 เธฟ84.7
$2.94 โ‚ฌ2.51
-10.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.17 เธฟ37.61
$2.79 โ‚ฌ2.38
-58.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.65 เธฟ53.0
$3.64 โ‚ฌ3.10
-54.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 เธฟ49.51
$4.38 โ‚ฌ3.74
-64.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.38 เธฟ44.34
$2.50 โ‚ฌ2.13
-44.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 เธฟ37.54
$2.01 โ‚ฌ1.72
-41.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.66 เธฟ21.25
$1.49 โ‚ฌ1.27
-55.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 เธฟ16.55
$0.50 โ‚ฌ0.42
2.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.52 เธฟ146
$6.95 โ‚ฌ5.93
-34.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 เธฟ590
$9.59 โ‚ฌ8.18
91.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 เธฟ57.9
$1.85 โ‚ฌ1.57
-2.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 เธฟ102
$3.23 โ‚ฌ2.76
-1.55%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.90 เธฟ28.97
$1.76 โ‚ฌ1.50
-48.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.00 เธฟ612
$43.94 โ‚ฌ37.48
-56.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 เธฟ45.50
$5.63 โ‚ฌ4.81
-74.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 เธฟ42.15
$1.59 โ‚ฌ1.35
-17.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.09 เธฟ261
$31.09 โ‚ฌ26.52
-73.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 เธฟ41.08
$2.11 โ‚ฌ1.80
-39.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K เธฟ686.1K
$38.8K โ‚ฌ33.1K
-45.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.7K เธฟ699.3K
$39.0K โ‚ฌ33.2K
-44.32%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.2 เธฟ2,230
$227 โ‚ฌ194
-69.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.97 เธฟ450
$11.31 โ‚ฌ9.65
23.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.95 เธฟ578
$33.98 โ‚ฌ28.99
-47.17%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.31 เธฟ1,363
$55.6 โ‚ฌ47.39
-23.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.66 เธฟ214
$23.19 โ‚ฌ19.78
-71.28%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92 เธฟ191
$12.50 โ‚ฌ10.66
-52.64%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 เธฟ9,640
$907 โ‚ฌ773
-67.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K เธฟ478.4K
$8,157 โ‚ฌ6,958
82.04%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 เธฟ1,810
$98.5 โ‚ฌ84.0
-42.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.94 เธฟ868
$52.1 โ‚ฌ44.48
-48.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.9 เธฟ2,735
$119 โ‚ฌ102
-28.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 เธฟ2,314
$199 โ‚ฌ170
-63.86%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$435 เธฟ14.0K
$749 โ‚ฌ639
-41.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$240 เธฟ7,727
$575 โ‚ฌ491
-58.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$798 เธฟ25.7K
$1,211 โ‚ฌ1,033
-34.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 เธฟ16.1K
$909 โ‚ฌ775
-45.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,995 เธฟ64.3K
$2,975 โ‚ฌ2,538
-32.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,532 เธฟ49.4K
$1,960 โ‚ฌ1,672
-21.84%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$628 เธฟ20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.17
19.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Acqualagna PU: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $749 in Acqualagna PU. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $81 in Acqualagna PU. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $412 โ€“ making Chiang Mai 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 Acqualagna PU: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Acqualagna PU?
Acqualagna PU costs about 131% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Acqualagna PU?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,922 in Acqualagna PU. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Acqualagna PU?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Acqualagna PU?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $81.0 in Acqualagna PU. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Chiang Mai compared to Acqualagna PU?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $845 in Chiang Mai and $1,948 in Acqualagna PU. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Acqualagna PU?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Acqualagna PU at $1,948. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Acqualagna PU it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Acqualagna PU?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,948 in Acqualagna PU. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Acqualagna PU?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Acqualagna PU?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acqualagna PU makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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