🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,076 in Agri.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,689 in Agri.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,302 in Agri.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 19% less than in Agri, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai35% lower, Agri20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94฿63.5
$7.51₺345
-74.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64฿609
$29.75₺1,367
-37.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82฿255
$7.58₺348
3.17%
Cappuccino
$1.95฿63.8
$2.93₺134
-33.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿27.77
$1.30₺59.7
-34.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.58
$0.47₺21.61
-25.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13฿69.6
$3.56₺164
-40.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
$3.92₺180
-4.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71฿56.0
$1.00₺45.78
71.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$0.77₺35.39
111.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14฿37.15
$2.21₺101
-48.42%
Eggs
$1.93฿63.1
$1.89₺86.7
2.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21฿530
$9.47₺435
71.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿102
$5.74₺264
-45.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90฿356
$19.10₺878
-42.93%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75฿90.0
$1.29₺59.3
113.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.52
$2.10₺96.4
-42.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$1.05₺48.15
54.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.28₺58.6
24.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40฿45.70
$0.74₺33.99
89.19%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.17
$0.64₺29.62
82.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66฿21.60
$0.93₺42.80
-29.03%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.22
$0.52₺24.01
1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69฿153
$2.20₺101
113.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66฿609
$9.43₺433
97.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.8
$2.08₺95.7
-13.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$2.96₺136
9.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.26
$0.68₺31.29
32.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21฿628
$30.74₺1,412
-37.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41฿45.91
$1.05₺48.33
34.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29฿42.12
$0.60₺27.73
115.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$7.84₺360
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.58
$1.19₺54.7
6.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K฿694.9K
$43.3K₺2.0M
-50.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K฿725.4K
$44.3K₺2.0M
-49.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1฿2,256
$62.5₺2,871
10.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08฿460
$10.88₺500
29.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00฿588
$12.91₺593
39.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06฿1,341
$44.13₺2,027
-6.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿193
$5.68₺261
4.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿9,766
$606₺27.8K
-50.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K฿488.3K
$8,929₺410.3K
67.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7฿1,787
$51.0₺2,344
7.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77฿874
$45.33₺2,083
-40.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0฿2,776
$104₺4,771
-18.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6฿2,306
$88.4₺4,060
-20.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428฿14.0K
$511₺23.5K
-16.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237฿7,752
$392₺18.0K
-39.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801฿26.2K
$885₺40.7K
-9.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$719₺33.0K
-28.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975฿64.5K
$1,318₺60.6K
49.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475฿48.2K
$919₺42.2K
60.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Agri
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617฿20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
36.83
-86.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for Agri: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $511 in Agri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $30.00 in Agri. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $227, with Agri cheaper for home cooking.
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 Agri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Chiang Mai and Agri?
Chiang Mai and Agri differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $1,076 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Agri?
You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,614 in Agri to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Chiang Mai and Agri?
Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $511 in Agri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chiang Mai and Agri?
Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $606 in Agri. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Agri pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,076 in Agri, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Agri. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Agri?
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.
Is Chiang Mai or Agri safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Agri are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Chiang Mai or Agri?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Agri. 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