Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Aktobe

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktobe: $881 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $680 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Aktobe
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Aktobe Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Aktobe

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Aktobe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $881 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Aktobe $881

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,386 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Aktobe $1,386

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,891 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Aktobe $1,891

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Aktobe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Aktobe 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$8.74 ₸3,951

-74.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$40.63 ₸18.4K

-52.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.01 ₸3,170

-20.26%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$2.47 ₸1,115

-30.36%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.26 ₸567

-49.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.61 ₸275

-45.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.84 ₸831

28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$2.95 ₸1,335

32.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.42 ₸641

44.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.41 ₸184

241.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.93 ₸421

37.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.77 ₸799

27.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$7.82 ₸3,535

116.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$5.68 ₸2,569

-51.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$9.10 ₸4,115

2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.62 ₸733

48.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$2.13 ₸964

-52.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.34 ₸1,058

-31.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.94 ₸878

-21.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.84 ₸378

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.40 ₸181

177.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.09 ₸494

-33.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.69 ₸312

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.53 ₸1,142

71.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$5.95 ₸2,689

197.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.08 ₸489

50.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.81 ₸818

57.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.20 ₸90.8

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$17.62 ₸7,966

205.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.08 ₸487

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.13 ₸511

-49.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$5.53 ₸2,499

-57.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.65 ₸294

123.08%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$23.1K ₸10.4M

-11.36%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$30.6K ₸13.8M

-13.42%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$55.8 ₸25.2K

11.80%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$10.35 ₸4,680

18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$20.93 ₸9,463

-4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$48.08 ₸21.7K

-21.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$12.14 ₸5,490

-69.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.44 ₸2,458

23.35%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$220 ₸99.6K

261.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$3,286 ₸1.5M

351.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$54.4 ₸24.6K

-2.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$55.8 ₸25.2K

-55.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$118 ₸53.3K

-22.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$100 ₸45.3K

-26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$307 ₸138.8K

51.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$233 ₸105.5K

30.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$453 ₸204.8K

102.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$359 ₸162.3K

53.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$846 ₸382.4K

126.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$546 ₸247.0K

163.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$548 ₸247.8K

8.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-67.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Aktobe

$234 26.5% 23.4% $71

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Aktobe

$185 21% 22.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Aktobe

$148 16.8% 34.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Aktobe

$87 9.9% 8% $7.5

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Aktobe

$143 16.3% 81.1% $64

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Aktobe

$25 2.9% 59% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Aktobe

$59 6.7% 14.8% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $307 in Aktobe. 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 9% 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 $41.00 in Aktobe. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Aktobe – so Aktobe wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Aktobe

🕒 Local time

15:48 3:48 PM

13:48 1:48 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

570,452

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 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 October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Aktobe 5,080 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Aktobe

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 Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,321 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $41.00 in Aktobe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aktobe, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Aktobe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Aktobe. 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.