Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Aliso Viejo, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $3,964 in Aliso Viejo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $36,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
194

Cost of Living Index in Aliso Viejo, CA
Learn more

Aliso Viejo, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Aliso Viejo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Aliso Viejo, CA

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 Aliso Viejo, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $3,964 in Aliso Viejo, CA.

Chiang Mai $925
Aliso Viejo, CA $3,964

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $6,003 in Aliso Viejo, CA.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Aliso Viejo, CA $6,003

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $8,043 in Aliso Viejo, CA.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Aliso Viejo, CA $8,043

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 77% less than in Aliso Viejo, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Aliso Viejo, CA is 193% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$24.73 $24.73

-90.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$98.4 $98.4

-80.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$14.32 $14.32

-60.82%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$5.91 $5.91

-71.91%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$3.51 $3.51

-80.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$2.80 $2.80

-88.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$8.22 $8.22

-70.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$9.94 $9.94

-62.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.15 $1.15

69.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$4.77 $4.77

-70.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$4.72 $4.72

-72.25%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$5.08 $5.08

-57.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$11.33 $11.33

46.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$16.09 $16.09

-82.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$17.67 $17.67

-48.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$5.50 $5.50

-56.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.73 $1.73

-40.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.68 $4.68

-65.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$6.62 $6.62

-77.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$3.61 $3.61

-64.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.81 $2.81

-60.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.20 $2.20

-67.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$2.43 $2.43

-78.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$11.92 $11.92

-63.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$15.26 $15.26

17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.81 $1.81

-12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.11 $3.11

-8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$3.07 $3.07

-71.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$4.47 $4.47

-72.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.91 $1.91

-70.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$32.04 $32.04

-92.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.59 $1.59

-9.43%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-40.75%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-0.80%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$212 $212

-70.58%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$71.5 $71.5

-83.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$71.3 $71.3

-72.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$38.84 $38.84

-4.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$17.19 $17.19

-62.19%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$1,698 $1,698

-53.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$31.8K $31.8K

-53.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$72.5 $72.5

-25.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$65.1 $65.1

-62.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$116 $116

-21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$169 $169

-58.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$2,908 $2,908

-84.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$2,466 $2,466

-87.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$4,191 $4,191

-78.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$4,644 $4,644

-88.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$7,007 $7,007

-72.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$6,500 $6,500

-77.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$7,985 $7,985

-92.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.86

-18.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Aliso Viejo, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$2.5K 62.2% 728% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$456 11.5% 93.5% $220

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$190 4.8% 76% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$355 8.9% 276% $260

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$398 10% 406% $319

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$26 * 0.7% 56.7% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Aliso Viejo, CA

$73 1.9% 46.3% $23

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Chiang Mai and $2,908 in Aliso Viejo, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aliso Viejo, CA pays 1251% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $98.0 in Aliso Viejo, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $456 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Aliso Viejo, CA

🕒 Local time

14:37 2:37 PM

00:37 12:37 AM

14 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

41,489

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Aliso Viejo, CA 13,010 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Aliso Viejo, CA

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 Aliso Viejo, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Aliso Viejo, CA differ by about 328% in total monthly costs ($925 vs $3,964 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1251% lower in Aliso Viejo, CA. 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: $455 in Chiang Mai versus $2,908 in Aliso Viejo, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Aliso Viejo, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $925 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,964 in Aliso Viejo, CA – a 328% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Chiang Mai versus $3,964 in Aliso Viejo, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aliso Viejo, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Aliso Viejo, CA 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 328% less than in Aliso Viejo, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.