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 $1,073 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,628 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,184 in Ajka.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 21% less than in Ajka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ajka 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.58 Ft 2,390

-73.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$23.53 Ft 7,412

-20.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.84 Ft 1,841

34.59%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.19 Ft 375

70.59%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.13 Ft 356

-29.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.56 Ft 175

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.26 Ft 397

69.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.13 Ft 357

224.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.07 Ft 337

61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.64 Ft 517

-4.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.56 Ft 805

-53.13%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.04 Ft 958

-35.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.95 Ft 2,505

104.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.89 Ft 1,855

-48.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$17.57 Ft 5,535

-38.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.92 Ft 606

44.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.84 Ft 580

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.05 Ft 645

-16.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.93 Ft 923

-45.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.03 Ft 324

34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.19 Ft 374

-2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.38 Ft 436

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.44 Ft 139

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.84 Ft 2,471

-40.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.93 Ft 1,554

260.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.99 Ft 313

80.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.49 Ft 469

124.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.12 Ft 353

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.14 Ft 7,921

-25.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.85 Ft 899

-50.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.28 Ft 402

4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$17.32 Ft 5,458

-53.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.67 Ft 526

-26.35%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$25.8K Ft 8.1M

-16.86%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$25.7K Ft 8.1M

-14.97%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$103 Ft 32.5K

-30.88%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$24.75 Ft 7,798

-43.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$19.00 Ft 5,987

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$46.84 Ft 14.8K

-12.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$17.08 Ft 5,382

-59.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$8.47 Ft 2,670

-32.47%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$220 Ft 69.2K

40.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,376 Ft 2.0M

130.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$107 Ft 33.8K

-47.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$29.77 Ft 9,381

-12.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$86.4 Ft 27.2K

-1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$112 Ft 35.3K

-36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$453 Ft 142.7K

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$344 Ft 108.4K

-29.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$635 Ft 200.2K

25.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$532 Ft 167.6K

-4.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,633 Ft 829.5K

-27.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,229 Ft 702.3K

-34.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ajka: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $453 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Ajka. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $233, 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 $1,073 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $1,610 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $453 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 $308 in Chiang Mai versus $220 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 $1,073 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.