Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Adama

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,030 in Adama, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Adama
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Adama Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Adama

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,030

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Adama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Adama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,030 in Adama, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Adama $1,030

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,702 in Adama, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Adama $1,702

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,374 in Adama, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Adama $2,374

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Adama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chiang Mai and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Adama 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$3.06 ETB 492

-26.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$43.00 ETB 6,924

-55.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.98 ETB 801

11.45%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$0.90 ETB 144

85.56%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$0.58 ETB 93.9

10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.31 ETB 50.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$0.83 ETB 134

184.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$2.31 ETB 372

58.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$0.77 ETB 124

153.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$1.17 ETB 189

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$2.20 ETB 354

-39.55%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.80 ETB 290

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$7.35 ETB 1,184

123.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$10.09 ETB 1,625

-72.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.40 ETB 1,514

-0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$5.51 ETB 888

-57.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$0.69 ETB 111

40.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.14 ETB 344

-25.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.70 ETB 113

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.50 ETB 80.9

156.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$1.09 ETB 175

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$0.69 ETB 111

2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.57 ETB 91.3

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$7.88 ETB 1,269

-47.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$5.78 ETB 931

203.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$0.70 ETB 113

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$1.28 ETB 206

117.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$1.28 ETB 206

-9.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$0.27 ETB 42.90

96.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$2.03 ETB 327

19.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$0.90 ETB 145

61.11%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$55.8K ETB 9.0M

-62.23%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$55.3K ETB 8.9M

-51.32%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$206 ETB 33.1K

-69.79%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$7.50 ETB 1,207

62.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$215 ETB 34.6K

-90.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.83 ETB 617

69.45%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$611 ETB 98.3K

20.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

-51.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$32.75 ETB 5,273

62.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$72.3 ETB 11.6K

-65.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$79.9 ETB 12.9K

14.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$82.3 ETB 13.2K

-12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$352 ETB 56.7K

37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$198 ETB 31.9K

55.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$980 ETB 157.8K

2.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$815 ETB 131.2K

-22.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$98.7 ETB 15.9K

497.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.5

-69.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Adama: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Adama

$198 19.2% 35.9% $111

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Adama

$211 20.5% 10.1% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Adama

$120 11.7% 10.7% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Adama

$428 41.6% 353% $334

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Adama

$63 6.1% 19.4% $15

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Adama

$2.6 * 0.3% 95.7% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Adama

$7.7 * 0.7% 84.7% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $352 in Adama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 6 times higher, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $43 in Adama. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Adama – so Adama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇪🇹 Adama

🕒 Local time

15:59 3:59 PM

11:59 11:59 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

228,623

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.21 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.21 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Adama 6,520 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Adama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai, $1,030 in Adama – Chiang Mai comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,545 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $352 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $43 in Adama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Adama – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,030 in Adama. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,030 in Adama. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.