Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anar Darreh

For one person, living is cheaper in Anar Darreh: $24.15 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Anar Darreh

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$24.15

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Anar Darreh

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $24 in Anar Darreh.

Chiang Mai $936
Anar Darreh $24

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $41 in Anar Darreh.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Anar Darreh $41

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $57 in Anar Darreh.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Anar Darreh $57

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 3774% more expensive than in Anar Darreh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Anar Darreh 98% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$1.51 ؋98.1

48.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.21 ؋78.3

61.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Anar Darreh: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Anar Darreh

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Anar Darreh

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Anar Darreh

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Anar Darreh

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Anar Darreh

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Anar Darreh

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Anar Darreh

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇫 Anar Darreh

🕒 Local time

09:08 9:08 AM

06:38 6:38 AM

2 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,023

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 64.9 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.47 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Anar Darreh 4,020 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Anar Darreh

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 Anar Darreh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $24 in Anar Darreh, so Anar Darreh is about 97% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $36 in Anar Darreh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1843% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $24 in Anar Darreh – Anar Darreh is about 97% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Anar Darreh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.