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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $458 in Aja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $744 in Aja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,029 in Aja, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Aja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Aja 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.63 E£188

-46.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$15.93 E£827

17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.66 E£242

67.81%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.43 E£74.4

36.36%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.31 E£16.17

174.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.10 E£4.97

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.20 E£62.5

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.05 E£158

22.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.91 E£47.32

87.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.62 E£32.40

162.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.65 E£33.56

75.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.45 E£75.5

33.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.40 E£177

376.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.36 E£226

-28.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.78 E£456

24.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.43 E£74.4

92.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.59 E£30.49

105.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.39 E£20.30

315.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.37 E£19.10

329.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.38 E£19.49

268.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.40 E£20.93

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.24 E£12.52

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.18 E£9.22

194.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.00 E£104

134.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$6.36 E£330

193.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.35 E£70.1

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.86 E£96.7

73.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.20 E£10.52

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.42 E£21.72

235.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.29 E£14.86

344.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.02 E£105

288.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.31 E£15.85

309.68%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$35.6K E£1.8M

-40.27%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$33.8K E£1.8M

-34.22%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$11.90 E£618

480.42%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.44 E£334

118.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.67 E£554

68.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$22.13 E£1,148

85.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.97 E£154

99.33%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$89.4 E£4,640

234.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,825 E£94.7K

719.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$27.84 E£1,445

96.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$49.14 E£2,551

-45.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$107 E£5,544

-20.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$50.2 E£2,604

40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$191 E£9,930

123.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$101 E£5,264

133.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$308 E£16.0K

160.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$177 E£9,162

192.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$794 E£41.2K

148.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$410 E£21.3K

259.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$313 E£16.2K

97.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.67

-70.01%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aja: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $191 in Aja. 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 97% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Aja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $124 – making Aja 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 Aja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Aja, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $687 in Aja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $458 in Aja. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $89.4 in Aja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $458 in Aja, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aja costs $458 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Aja. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.