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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $666 in Aktobe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Aktobe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,463 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Aktobe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Aktobe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.95 ₸3,898

-75.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.27 ₸14.3K

-36.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.29 ₸3,083

24.32%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.78 ₸873

9.55%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.40 ₸684

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.49 ₸240

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.53 ₸752

39.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.18 ₸1,068

71.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.15 ₸562

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.27 ₸133

503.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.10 ₸537

3.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.47 ₸719

31.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.27 ₸4,053

96.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.82 ₸2,363

-35.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.01 ₸3,433

55.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.37 ₸670

100.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.99 ₸977

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.32 ₸1,137

-30.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.92 ₸941

-17.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.79 ₸385

77.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.29 ₸140

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.75 ₸368

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.63 ₸311

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.83 ₸896

156.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.05 ₸2,473

269.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.93 ₸454

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.54 ₸757

109.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.18 ₸86.4

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.99 ₸485

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.03 ₸506

25.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.58 ₸2,244

71.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.49 ₸238

159.18%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$17.6K ₸8.6M

20.76%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$19.3K ₸9.5M

14.93%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$40.47 ₸19.8K

70.67%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.26 ₸5,028

37.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.78 ₸5,281

66.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$28.77 ₸14.1K

42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.68 ₸4,745

-28.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.95 ₸2,428

19.60%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$212 ₸103.7K

41.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,966 ₸2.4M

201.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$33.99 ₸16.7K

60.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$29.76 ₸14.6K

-10.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$90.9 ₸44.6K

-6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$63.9 ₸31.3K

10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$225 ₸110.1K

90.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$189 ₸92.4K

25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$348 ₸170.6K

130.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$282 ₸138.2K

82.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$775 ₸379.8K

154.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$487 ₸238.6K

202.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$510 ₸249.9K

21.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

-72.81%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $225 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 21% 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 $29.00 in Aktobe. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $163 in Aktobe – so Aktobe 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 Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $999 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $666 in Aktobe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $212 in Aktobe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $666 in Aktobe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.