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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,072 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,599 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,127 in Ajka.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 20% less than in Ajka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ajka 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.49 Ft 2,338

-73.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$22.91 Ft 7,148

-17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.85 Ft 1,826

35.38%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.14 Ft 357

67.54%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.17 Ft 367

-28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 Ft 173

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.28 Ft 399

72.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.15 Ft 358

230.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.10 Ft 344

49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.69 Ft 528

-4.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.61 Ft 814

-54.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.15 Ft 983

-36.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.75 Ft 2,419

105.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.08 Ft 1,897

-50.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$17.51 Ft 5,464

-38.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.95 Ft 607

33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.83 Ft 572

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.07 Ft 645

-17.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.84 Ft 885

-44.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.02 Ft 320

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.19 Ft 371

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.39 Ft 433

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.44 Ft 137

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.99 Ft 2,493

-43.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.28 Ft 1,648

244.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.95 Ft 296

92.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.42 Ft 442

127.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.16 Ft 362

-23.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$25.41 Ft 7,929

-23.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.78 Ft 867

-51.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.32 Ft 411

2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.59 Ft 5,489

-53.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.75 Ft 545

-27.43%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$25.8K Ft 8.1M

-18.05%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

-11.73%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$106 Ft 33.0K

-33.71%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$25.33 Ft 7,904

-45.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.59 Ft 5,802

-5.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$47.49 Ft 14.8K

-12.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$17.03 Ft 5,313

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.54 Ft 2,665

-32.32%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$223 Ft 69.7K

37.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,336 Ft 2.0M

134.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$106 Ft 33.1K

-48.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$30.17 Ft 9,413

-13.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.6 Ft 26.4K

-0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$110 Ft 34.2K

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$450 Ft 140.4K

-5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$347 Ft 108.3K

-31.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$643 Ft 200.7K

28.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$543 Ft 169.4K

-5.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,582 Ft 1.1M

-42.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,202 Ft 687.0K

-30.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

-14.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ajka: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $450 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $23.00 in Ajka. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $235, with Ajka 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 Ajka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Ajka differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,072 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $1,608 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $450 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 31% less than in Ajka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $223 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,072 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 26% less than in Ajka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.