Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Aktau

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktau: $790 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Aktau
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Aktau Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Aktau

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$790

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Aktau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Aktau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $790 in Aktau, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Aktau $790

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,315 in Aktau, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Aktau $1,315

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,840 in Aktau, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Aktau $1,840

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aktau 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$11.03 ₸5,002

-79.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$43.54 ₸19.7K

-56.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$9.90 ₸4,492

-43.94%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.59 ₸1,177

-35.52%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.79 ₸356

-18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.49 ₸222

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.37 ₸620

72.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.59 ₸720

130.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.47 ₸669

32.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.50 ₸228

188.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.90 ₸860

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.69 ₸768

34.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.02 ₸4,543

64.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.16 ₸1,885

-33.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$8.58 ₸3,892

8.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.53 ₸693

53.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.32 ₸1,054

-58.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.34 ₸1,063

-31.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.78 ₸1,262

-46.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.66 ₸301

93.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.57 ₸260

92.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.48 ₸673

-52.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.91 ₸413

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.59 ₸1,176

59.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$9.37 ₸4,249

86.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.78 ₸354

106.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$0.92 ₸417

202.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.16 ₸70.4

443.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.09 ₸496

6.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.64 ₸291

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.66 ₸301

119.70%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$31.4K ₸14.2M

-14.22%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$45.62 ₸20.7K

36.28%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$8.07 ₸3,662

50.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$10.70 ₸4,852

88.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$36.05 ₸16.4K

3.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.03 ₸1,373

114.19%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$146 ₸66.2K

404.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$2,678 ₸1.2M

451.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$67.3 ₸30.5K

-20.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$39.80 ₸18.1K

-38.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$71.6 ₸32.5K

27.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$89.2 ₸40.5K

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$328 ₸149.0K

46.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$193 ₸87.8K

59.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$544 ₸246.7K

84.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$393 ₸178.2K

61.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$806 ₸365.8K

193.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$657 ₸297.9K

141.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$553 ₸250.8K

6.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aktau: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Aktau

$193 24.5% 37.4% $115

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Aktau

$200 25.3% 14.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Aktau

$121 15.3% 11% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Aktau

$64 8.2% 31.8% $30

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Aktau

$164 20.8% 112% $87

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Aktau

$4.9 * 0.6% 92% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Aktau

$42 5.3% 16.3% $8.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $328 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 7% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $44 in Aktau. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Aktau – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Aktau

🕒 Local time

12:07 12:07 PM

10:07 10:07 AM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

273,830

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Aktau 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Aktau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 18% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,185 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $328 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $44 in Aktau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Aktau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.