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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,415 in Aden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,399 in Aden, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,384 in Aden, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Aden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Aden is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$13.19 YER 3,142

-84.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$35.41 YER 8,434

-47.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$10.16 YER 2,420

-22.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 YER 1,028

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 YER 890

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.97 YER 1,184

-59.15%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.09 YER 498

-61.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.84 YER 201

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$4.19 YER 998

-58.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.99 YER 474

-21.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$7.34 YER 1,749

-83.65%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$5.63 YER 1,342

-65.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.56 YER 2,753

40.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$16.49 YER 3,928

-81.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$39.60 YER 9,433

-72.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$9.51 YER 2,265

-70.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.69 YER 642

-56.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$7.64 YER 1,821

-77.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.44 YER 818

-53.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$3.33 YER 794

-58.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$3.38 YER 805

-65.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.71 YER 170

-7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.45 YER 346

-64.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.46 YER 1,539

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 YER 161

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 YER 452

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.00 YER 1,190

-7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$1.15 YER 274

-20.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$41.12 YER 9,795

-54.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.67 YER 636

-47.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.99 YER 473

-32.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.66 YER 1,347

43.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$3.63 YER 864

-66.12%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$16.4K YER 3.9M

30.99%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$61.9K YER 14.7M

-64.73%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$78.5 YER 18.7K

-9.16%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.87 YER 2,352

41.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$56.1 YER 13.4K

-68.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$62.7 YER 14.9K

-34.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$26.27 YER 6,258

-73.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.89 YER 1,403

-2.89%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$150 YER 35.8K

104.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$1,860 YER 443.0K

689.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$98.3 YER 23.4K

-43.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$103 YER 24.6K

-74.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$154 YER 36.8K

-45.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$185 YER 44.0K

-61.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$247 YER 58.8K

71.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$177 YER 42.2K

36.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$543 YER 129.4K

46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$515 YER 122.7K

-1.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,239 YER 295.1K

54.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$864 YER 205.8K

69.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$455 YER 108.4K

30.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.67

-60.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aden: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $247 in Aden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $35.00 in Aden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $498 – 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 Aden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aden costs about 66% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,122 in Aden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Aden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,415 in Aden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Aden at $1,415. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,415 in Aden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.