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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $696 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,165 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,635 in Aktau, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Aktau 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$9.82 ₸4,789

-80.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$39.83 ₸19.4K

-53.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.87 ₸4,325

-11.27%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.28 ₸1,114

-14.47%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.54 ₸264

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.43 ₸211

-25.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.20 ₸585

78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$1.39 ₸680

164.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.14 ₸558

45.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.42 ₸205

271.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.62 ₸791

-26.54%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.44 ₸701

38.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$8.59 ₸4,187

89.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$4.06 ₸1,978

-21.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$7.53 ₸3,671

43.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.29 ₸630

105.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.98 ₸964

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.11 ₸1,030

-21.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$2.53 ₸1,232

-38.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.56 ₸272

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.48 ₸234

152.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.37 ₸666

-50.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.82 ₸398

-30.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.40 ₸1,170

95.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$8.86 ₸4,321

91.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$0.67 ₸328

171.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$0.82 ₸399

287.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.15 ₸74.6

506.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.95 ₸463

48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.58 ₸285

131.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$4.74 ₸2,313

71.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.47 ₸227

172.34%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$19.9K ₸9.7M

9.62%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$24.5K ₸12.0M

-8.70%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$40.10 ₸19.6K

75.76%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$7.80 ₸3,804

80.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$9.49 ₸4,630

85.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$32.56 ₸15.9K

26.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$2.67 ₸1,302

123.22%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$128 ₸62.4K

136.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$2,310 ₸1.1M

547.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$57.5 ₸28.0K

-4.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$35.62 ₸17.4K

-26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$63.7 ₸31.1K

34.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$77.4 ₸37.7K

-9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$255 ₸124.1K

68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$180 ₸87.9K

32.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$448 ₸218.3K

81.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$369 ₸180.1K

37.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$749 ₸365.2K

170.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$606 ₸295.3K

148.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$520 ₸253.6K

19.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Aktau: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $255 in Aktau. 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 20% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Aktau. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $176 in Aktau – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Aktau, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,043 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $40.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $696 in Aktau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $696 versus $848 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 Aktau. 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.