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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,253 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,842 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,431 in Ajka.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 26% less than in Ajka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ajka 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$9.67 Ft 3,075

-78.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$23.31 Ft 7,417

-15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.28 Ft 2,634

-31.52%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.17 Ft 372

54.70%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.17 Ft 371

-34.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.55 Ft 173

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.28 Ft 407

72.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.18 Ft 376

221.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.28 Ft 406

60.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.42 Ft 452

6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.59 Ft 825

-45.95%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.82 Ft 1,214

-40.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.01 Ft 3,183

61.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.74 Ft 2,146

-56.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.37 Ft 5,207

-42.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.28 Ft 724

17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.31 Ft 735

-52.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.08 Ft 661

-22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$3.44 Ft 1,093

-57.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.05 Ft 332

21.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.12 Ft 356

-5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.61 Ft 511

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.55 Ft 175

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.68 Ft 2,442

-44.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.21 Ft 1,656

251.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.33 Ft 422

22.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.14 Ft 681

35.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.14 Ft 363

-22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$31.21 Ft 9,928

72.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.19 Ft 1,015

-63.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.71 Ft 545

-66.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$18.68 Ft 5,943

-87.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.91 Ft 607

-24.08%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$28.2K Ft 9.0M

-25.51%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$38.3K Ft 12.2M

-30.94%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$132 Ft 42.0K

-51.77%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$22.37 Ft 7,117

-42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$21.03 Ft 6,691

-2.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$53.8 Ft 17.1K

-27.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$16.74 Ft 5,326

-76.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.40 Ft 2,673

-21.67%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$252 Ft 80.1K

211.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,074 Ft 2.3M

107.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$108 Ft 34.2K

-48.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$34.28 Ft 10.9K

-27.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$92.7 Ft 29.5K

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$129 Ft 41.1K

-42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$614 Ft 195.2K

-20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$474 Ft 150.7K

-39.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$697 Ft 221.6K

27.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$592 Ft 188.4K

-12.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$3,366 Ft 1.1M

-41.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,848 Ft 905.9K

-49.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ajka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $614 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $23.00 in Ajka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $256 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 Ajka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Ajka differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,253 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $1,880 in Ajka 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $614 in Ajka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 72% less than in Ajka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $252 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,253 in Ajka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ajka. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai 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 Ajka 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Ajka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.