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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,091 in Alberton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,736 in Alberton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $2,381 in Alberton.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 20% less than in Alberton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Alberton 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.50 R 137

-76.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$34.09 R 551

-44.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.38 R 70.8

76.94%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.03 R 32.85

-5.42%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.06 R 17.06

-25.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.86 R 13.98

-58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.18 R 35.30

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.29 R 37.03

59.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.08 R 17.51

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.01 R 16.38

61.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.63 R 26.40

-26.99%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.07 R 33.47

-3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.81 R 126

104.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.54 R 73.4

-33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.78 R 93.4

87.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.50 R 24.22

84.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.60 R 25.87

-26.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.47 R 23.70

11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.56 R 25.26

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.17 R 18.95

17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.22 R 19.77

-2.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.08 R 17.42

-35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.83 R 13.43

-32.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.78 R 45.01

64.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.00 R 48.49

452.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.18 R 19.04

55.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.23 R 19.87

160.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$2.81 R 45.45

-68.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$114 R 1,846

-83.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.38 R 22.25

-1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.33 R 21.48

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.16 R 51.0

148.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.26 R 20.37

-2.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$19.2K R 310.8K

12.48%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.4K R 426.7K

-14.58%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$123 R 1,994

-42.81%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$37.65 R 609

-63.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$37.90 R 613

-53.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.61 R 608

9.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$13.72 R 222

-49.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.63 R 91.1

2.49%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$139 R 2,243

121.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,654 R 26.7K

783.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$49.22 R 796

13.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$29.59 R 478

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$86.0 R 1,390

-0.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$87.4 R 1,412

-17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$412 R 6,657

4.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$304 R 4,922

-21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$846 R 13.7K

-3.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$714 R 11.5K

-28.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$886 R 14.3K

123.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$701 R 11.3K

111.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$2,140 R 34.6K

-71.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

-57.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Alberton: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $412 in Alberton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alberton pays 246% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Alberton. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $165, with Alberton cheaper for home cooking.

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 Alberton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Alberton earns 246% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $412 in Alberton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Alberton pay roughly 46% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $34.00 in Alberton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alberton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Alberton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Alberton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.