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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $819 in Aguilares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,303 in Aguilares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,787 in Aguilares.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 16% more expensive than in Aguilares, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aguilares 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.96 $6.96

-69.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$43.99 $43.99

-54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.13 $7.13

-18.79%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.67 $3.67

-50.14%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.11 $1.11

-29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.81 $0.81

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.98 $1.98

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.57 $3.57

3.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.85 $1.85

9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.79 $2.79

-42.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.44 $1.44

-1.39%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.11 $3.11

-29.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.63 $7.63

108.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.76 $6.76

-54.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.32 $10.32

-4.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$5.12 $5.12

-48.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.52 $1.52

-27.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.94 $2.94

-44.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.55 $3.55

-56.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.92 $2.92

-57.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$3.34 $3.34

-66.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.02 $1.02

-27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.97 $0.97

-48.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.95 $3.95

8.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.89 $11.89

51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.16 $2.16

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.93 $2.93

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$5.97 $5.97

-79.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$2.92 $2.92

-81.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$20.34 $20.34

-88.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.16 $1.16

24.14%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

-15.88%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$27.7K $27.7K

-1.34%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$132 $132

-50.75%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$21.29 $21.29

-37.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$42.21 $42.21

-50.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.95 $4.95

35.56%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$164 $164

379.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$4,645 $4,645

225.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$67.9 $67.9

-17.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$46.69 $46.69

-46.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$118 $118

-21.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$117 $117

-36.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.5

-34.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Aguilares: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Aguilares for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $288 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 Aguilares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguilares wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguilares the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $1,229 in Aguilares 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.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $164 in Aguilares. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aguilares – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $819 in Aguilares versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguilares but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Aguilares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aguilares delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $819 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aguilares hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Aguilares 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 Aguilares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.