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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $687 in Anapolis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,154 in Anapolis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,621 in Anapolis.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 36% more expensive than in Anapolis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Anapolis 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.68 R$29.26

-63.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$39.33 R$203

-50.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.86 R$35.36

-17.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.47 R$12.70

-26.72%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.42 R$7.31

-45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.71 R$3.64

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.31 R$11.90

-4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.98 R$15.38

27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.07 R$5.50

91.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.00 R$10.29

-24.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.27 R$6.57

10.24%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.12 R$10.91

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.90 R$45.83

81.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.98 R$20.51

-27.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.90 R$35.57

36.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.09 R$10.75

28.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.10 R$5.68

-0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.19 R$6.12

36.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.05 R$5.43

39.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.15 R$5.95

11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.02 R$5.24

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.69 R$3.58

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.99 R$5.11

-46.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.97 R$10.15

114.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.99 R$30.84

205.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.23 R$6.35

32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.41 R$12.43

20.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.08 R$5.56

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.90 R$4.62

-35.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$6.22 R$32.05

-61.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.25 R$6.46

16.00%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.3K R$119.9K

-9.74%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.8K R$163.7K

-16.83%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$58.1 R$299

9.59%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.95 R$51.3

29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.38 R$99.9

5.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$23.00 R$118

69.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.85 R$30.15

12.48%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$816 R$4,204

-3.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$16.4K R$84.7K

-10.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$51.9 R$268

6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$39.56 R$204

-37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$83.8 R$432

12.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$38.32 R$197

93.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$231 R$1,189

112.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$158 R$816

82.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$525 R$2,704

69.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$354 R$1,823

47.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,239 R$6,384

59.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$948 R$4,883

52.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$518 R$2,669

16.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.12

-54.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Anapolis: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $231 in Anapolis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 16% 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 $39.00 in Anapolis. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $182, with Anapolis 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 Anapolis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anapolis wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Anapolis the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $231 in Anapolis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $687 in Anapolis – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $687 in Anapolis versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Anapolis but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Anapolis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Anapolis delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Anapolis hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Anapolis 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 Anapolis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.