Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ambato

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $605 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
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Ambato Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $605 in Ambato, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Ambato $605

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $985 in Ambato, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Ambato $985

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,364 in Ambato, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Ambato $1,364

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Ambato are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Ambato 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.46 $3.46

-34.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$29.93 $29.93

-35.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.32 $5.32

5.08%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$2.76 $2.76

-37.68%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.82 $0.82

-21.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.75 $0.75

-56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.96 $1.96

20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$3.22 $3.22

21.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.98 $0.98

109.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.98 $0.98

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.57 $1.57

-18.47%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.73 $1.73

30.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$5.42 $5.42

212.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$3.05 $3.05

-10.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$3.93 $3.93

138.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.27 $1.27

88.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$0.88 $0.88

14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.03 $1.03

56.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.03 $1.03

47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.77 $0.77

66.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.99 $0.99

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.73 $0.73

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.03 $1.03

-49.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$5.15 $5.15

-15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$8.78 $8.78

101.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.45 $1.45

12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.81 $2.81

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.29 $0.29

193.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$14.21 $14.21

279.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.39 $1.39

-15.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.12 $1.12

-49.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$9.43 $9.43

-74.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.86 $0.86

68.60%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

-12.25%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$28.1K $28.1K

-5.80%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$39.20 $39.20

59.01%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$13.58 $13.58

-9.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$26.39 $26.39

-24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$29.76 $29.76

27.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$4.39 $4.39

52.85%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$224 $224

255.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$2,408 $2,408

515.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$48.25 $48.25

10.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$35.22 $35.22

-28.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$71.2 $71.2

28.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$55.5 $55.5

32.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$178 $178

160.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$124 $124

145.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$380 $380

140.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$273 $273

102.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,130 $1,130

69.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$884 $884

62.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$679 $679

-12.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-38.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ambato: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Ambato

$124 20.5% 59.2% $180

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Ambato

$147 24.3% 38.2% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Ambato

$95 15.6% 13.7% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Ambato

$79 13.1% 16.3% $15

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Ambato

$99 16.4% 25.6% $20

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Ambato

$22 3.7% 63.6% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Ambato

$39 6.4% 24.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $178 in Ambato. 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 14% higher in Ambato, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Ambato. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $147 in Ambato – so Ambato wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇪🇨 Ambato

🕒 Local time

12:31 12:31 PM

00:31 12:31 AM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

165,185

💱 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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Ambato 18,050 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ambato

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 Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $908 in Ambato. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Ambato. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $605 in Ambato. That's a gap of about 55%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $605 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ambato. 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.