๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,728 in Agoura Hills, CA.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Chiang Mai versus $3,986 in Agoura Hills, CA.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Chiang Mai versus $5,244 in Agoura Hills, CA.
๐Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 69% less than in Agoura Hills, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 37% below, Agoura Hills, CA is 104% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.95เธฟ62.8
$24.59$24.59
-92.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.43เธฟ594
$102$102
-81.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.50เธฟ241
$10.10$10.10
-25.74%
Cappuccino
$1.93เธฟ62.3
$5.53$5.53
-65.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78เธฟ25.08
$2.66$2.66
-70.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32เธฟ10.42
$2.11$2.11
-84.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.15เธฟ69.2
$7.82$7.82
-72.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71เธฟ120
$8.73$8.73
-57.50%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71เธฟ55.2
$1.25$1.25
36.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.56เธฟ50.3
$5.52$5.52
-71.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18เธฟ38.06
$4.82$4.82
-75.52%
Eggs
$1.98เธฟ63.9
$4.38$4.38
-54.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.04เธฟ517
$12.63$12.63
27.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.17เธฟ102
$11.59$11.59
-72.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.94เธฟ353
$14.26$14.26
-23.28%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63เธฟ84.7
$6.35$6.35
-58.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.17เธฟ37.61
$1.87$1.87
-37.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.65เธฟ53.0
$3.78$3.78
-56.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54เธฟ49.51
$5.56$5.56
-72.30%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38เธฟ44.34
$3.18$3.18
-56.60%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17เธฟ37.54
$2.96$2.96
-60.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66เธฟ21.25
$2.16$2.16
-69.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.55
$2.09$2.09
-75.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.52เธฟ146
$9.68$9.68
-53.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32เธฟ590
$15.11$15.11
21.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80เธฟ57.9
$1.78$1.78
1.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18เธฟ102
$4.73$4.73
-32.77%
๐ Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90เธฟ28.97
$1.95$1.95
-53.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.00เธฟ612
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41เธฟ45.50
$3.94$3.94
-64.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.31เธฟ42.15
$2.72$2.72
-51.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.09เธฟ261
$31.65$31.65
-74.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28เธฟ41.08
$1.31$1.31
-2.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3Kเธฟ686.1K
$29.0K$29.0K
-26.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.7Kเธฟ699.3K
$26.9K$26.9K
-19.32%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.2เธฟ2,230
$203$203
-65.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.97เธฟ450
$53.8$53.8
-74.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.95เธฟ578
$71.9$71.9
-75.04%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.31เธฟ1,363
$43.08$43.08
-1.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.66เธฟ214
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.92เธฟ191
$14.14$14.14
-58.13%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299เธฟ9,640
$1,807$1,807
-83.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8Kเธฟ478.4K
$40.8K$40.8K
-63.63%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2เธฟ1,810
$55.1$55.1
2.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.94เธฟ868
$40.05$40.05
-32.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.9เธฟ2,735
$76.6$76.6
10.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8เธฟ2,314
$131$131
-45.23%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$435เธฟ14.0K
$1,597$1,597
-72.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$240เธฟ7,727
$1,331$1,331
-81.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$798เธฟ25.7K
$2,627$2,627
-69.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$498เธฟ16.1K
$2,182$2,182
-77.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,995เธฟ64.3K
$2,705$2,705
-26.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,532เธฟ49.4K
$2,394$2,394
-36.02%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Agoura Hills, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$628เธฟ20.2K
$4,586$4,586
-86.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
6.69
-25.26%
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 Agoura Hills, CA: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Chiang Mai and $1,597 in Agoura Hills, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐAgoura Hills, CA pays 630% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $18 in Chiang Mai vs $102 in Agoura Hills, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $427 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.
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 Agoura Hills, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Agoura Hills, CA?
Chiang Mai wins on cost โ living expenses run 223% lower than in Agoura Hills, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or Agoura Hills, CA?
On paper, Agoura Hills, CA earns 630% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai vs Agoura Hills, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,597 in Agoura Hills, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Agoura Hills, CA?
Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $1,807 in Agoura Hills, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Agoura Hills, CA?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai โ a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $102 in Agoura Hills, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Agoura Hills, CA?
At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,728 in Agoura Hills, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Agoura Hills, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Agoura Hills, CA?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $845 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Agoura Hills, CA?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Agoura Hills, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 223% less than in Agoura Hills, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared