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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $137 in Afgoye.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Afgoye.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $386 in Afgoye.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 590% more expensive than in Afgoye, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Afgoye 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$1.02 SOS 582

103.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$3.40 SOS 1,930

66.18%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$0.52 SOS 295

248.08%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.52 SOS 297

36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.23 SOS 131

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.96 SOS 1,684

-33.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$3.63 SOS 2,059

-37.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.76 SOS 4,410

28.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.94 SOS 2,803

160.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$25.23 SOS 14.3K

-19.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

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

$778 ฿25.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$10.05 SOS 5,710

440.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$18.12 SOS 10.3K

305.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$60.5 SOS 34.4K

709.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$158 SOS 89.9K

464.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$89.1 SOS 50.6K

480.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$202 SOS 114.7K

198.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Afgoye: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $60.5 in Afgoye. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 198% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Afgoye: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Afgoye differ by about 590% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $137 including rent). Afgoye is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 198% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $60.5 in Afgoye. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 256% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $137 in Afgoye – a 590% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $137 in Afgoye versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Afgoye but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Afgoye the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Afgoye are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Afgoye gentler on the wallet – expenses run 590% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.