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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $702 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,160 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Aktau, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% 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

$9.63 ₸4,420

-79.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$38.39 ₸17.6K

-51.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$8.84 ₸4,053

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.27 ₸1,040

-15.86%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.56 ₸255

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.43 ₸199

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.19 ₸546

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.38 ₸634

175.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.20 ₸553

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.39 ₸177

315.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.69 ₸776

-30.18%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.37 ₸626

46.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$8.90 ₸4,085

78.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.89 ₸1,786

-22.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$7.86 ₸3,606

37.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.29 ₸592

102.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.98 ₸909

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.14 ₸984

-20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$2.52 ₸1,157

-37.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.58 ₸266

127.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.51 ₸235

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.35 ₸621

-50.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.81 ₸373

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.40 ₸1,100

88.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$9.04 ₸4,146

101.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$0.63 ₸288

190.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.76 ₸349

325.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.14 ₸66.3

535.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.03 ₸471

31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.59 ₸269

128.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$4.77 ₸2,189

72.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$0.47 ₸213

170.21%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$20.5K ₸9.4M

3.42%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$24.5K ₸11.2M

-8.21%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$39.58 ₸18.2K

77.24%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$7.58 ₸3,477

81.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$9.75 ₸4,472

80.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$31.97 ₸14.7K

30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$2.69 ₸1,232

114.87%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$128 ₸58.6K

139.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$2,304 ₸1.1M

543.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$58.4 ₸26.8K

-6.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$34.63 ₸15.9K

-24.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$64.8 ₸29.7K

30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$79.7 ₸36.6K

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$251 ₸115.4K

68.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$179 ₸82.0K

33.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$446 ₸204.6K

84.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$373 ₸170.9K

38.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$779 ₸357.4K

163.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$617 ₸283.1K

146.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$548 ₸251.2K

16.00%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $251 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 16% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Aktau. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $178 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 21% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,052 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $702 in Aktau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $702 versus $852 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.