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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,089 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,627 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $2,165 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 35% lower, Ajka 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.68 Ft 2,324

-74.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$22.98 Ft 6,953

-18.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.89 Ft 1,783

31.58%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.19 Ft 361

61.34%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.18 Ft 358

-33.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.59 Ft 179

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.26 Ft 381

75.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.19 Ft 360

207.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.07 Ft 324

54.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.69 Ft 512

-3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.54 Ft 770

-53.15%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.16 Ft 956

-36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.65 Ft 2,314

108.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.03 Ft 1,826

-49.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$17.94 Ft 5,426

-39.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.86 Ft 561

48.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.77 Ft 535

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.03 Ft 615

-19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.87 Ft 868

-47.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.03 Ft 311

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.18 Ft 358

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.39 Ft 419

-49.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.48 Ft 146

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$7.76 Ft 2,347

-40.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.16 Ft 1,563

220.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.01 Ft 304

81.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.42 Ft 431

125.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.14 Ft 343

-22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$25.19 Ft 7,620

-25.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.78 Ft 842

-51.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.27 Ft 385

5.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$17.08 Ft 5,168

-54.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.77 Ft 534

-30.51%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

-16.53%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

-12.82%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$106 Ft 32.0K

-33.35%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$24.80 Ft 7,502

-44.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.19 Ft 5,805

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$47.37 Ft 14.3K

-12.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.78 Ft 5,075

-58.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$8.25 Ft 2,497

-30.06%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$217 Ft 65.6K

41.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,337 Ft 1.9M

130.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$109 Ft 33.0K

-48.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$29.29 Ft 8,860

-10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$87.8 Ft 26.6K

-2.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$110 Ft 33.2K

-34.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$448 Ft 135.5K

-4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$348 Ft 105.3K

-31.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$628 Ft 190.1K

30.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$528 Ft 159.8K

-3.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$3,482 Ft 1.1M

-43.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,168 Ft 655.9K

-31.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ajka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $448 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 $241 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 25% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $1,089 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $1,634 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: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $448 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 35% less than in Ajka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $217 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,089 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 25% less than in Ajka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.