Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anseong-si Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anseong-si

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,415 in Anseong-si, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,182 in Anseong-si, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,948 in Anseong-si, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Anseong-si, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Anseong-si is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96 āļŋ64.0
$7.09 â‚Đ10.5K
-72.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81 āļŋ615
$36.89 â‚Đ54.7K
-49.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.92 āļŋ259
$5.49 â‚Đ8,139
44.26%
Cappuccino
$1.91 āļŋ62.6
$3.96 â‚Đ5,875
-51.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 āļŋ27.41
$1.52 â‚Đ2,254
-44.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 āļŋ11.51
$0.85 â‚Đ1,263
-58.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 āļŋ72.1
$3.38 â‚Đ5,017
-34.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 āļŋ124
$5.00 â‚Đ7,416
-24.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 āļŋ53.5
$2.23 â‚Đ3,314
-26.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 āļŋ53.1
$3.12 â‚Đ4,622
-48.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 āļŋ38.62
$3.07 â‚Đ4,556
-61.56%
Eggs
$2.01 āļŋ65.8
$2.86 â‚Đ4,236
-29.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.89 āļŋ520
$10.37 â‚Đ15.4K
53.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.01 āļŋ98.5
$8.28 â‚Đ12.3K
-63.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.77 āļŋ352
$27.41 â‚Đ40.7K
-60.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 āļŋ85.5
$7.63 â‚Đ11.3K
-65.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 āļŋ39.88
$3.18 â‚Đ4,710
-61.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 āļŋ55.7
$5.49 â‚Đ8,137
-69.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.58 āļŋ51.5
$5.36 â‚Đ7,954
-70.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 āļŋ43.14
$3.82 â‚Đ5,667
-65.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 āļŋ38.23
$2.85 â‚Đ4,229
-58.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 āļŋ21.98
$2.17 â‚Đ3,216
-69.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 āļŋ18.32
$1.20 â‚Đ1,778
-53.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53 āļŋ148
$3.25 â‚Đ4,816
39.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.20 āļŋ595
$15.91 â‚Đ23.6K
14.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 āļŋ60.0
$1.81 â‚Đ2,679
1.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 āļŋ106
$3.25 â‚Đ4,821
-0.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 āļŋ29.00
$1.06 â‚Đ1,575
-16.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.38 āļŋ634
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 āļŋ44.20
$3.48 â‚Đ5,160
-61.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 āļŋ44.05
$0.53 â‚Đ780
154.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.25 āļŋ270
$8.91 â‚Đ13.2K
-7.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 āļŋ41.64
$1.17 â‚Đ1,739
8.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K āļŋ691.8K
$27.2K â‚Đ40.3M
-22.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K āļŋ735.3K
$25.2K â‚Đ37.4M
-10.93%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.2 āļŋ2,294
$163 â‚Đ241.2K
-56.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 āļŋ450
$35.47 â‚Đ52.6K
-61.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60 āļŋ575
$22.31 â‚Đ33.1K
-21.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.57 āļŋ1,360
$48.41 â‚Đ71.8K
-14.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60 āļŋ216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78 āļŋ189
$11.09 â‚Đ16.5K
-47.88%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 āļŋ10.0K
$413 â‚Đ612.9K
-25.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K āļŋ484.8K
$23.3K â‚Đ34.5M
-36.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4 āļŋ1,778
$58.4 â‚Đ86.6K
-6.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14 āļŋ855
$48.17 â‚Đ71.4K
-45.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.5 āļŋ2,764
$79.4 â‚Đ117.8K
6.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4 āļŋ2,270
$116 â‚Đ171.5K
-39.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$424 āļŋ13.9K
$459 â‚Đ681.4K
-7.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$238 āļŋ7,788
$371 â‚Đ550.4K
-35.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$825 āļŋ27.0K
$1,048 â‚Đ1.6M
-21.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$515 āļŋ16.8K
$769 â‚Đ1.1M
-33.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,049 āļŋ67.0K
$9,574 â‚Đ14.2M
-78.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,523 āļŋ49.8K
$6,581 â‚Đ9.8M
-76.86%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$635 āļŋ20.8K
$1,712 â‚Đ2.5M
-62.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.14
20.77%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Anseong-si: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $459 in Anseong-si. 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 170% higher in Anseong-si, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Anseong-si. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $426 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Anseong-si: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anseong-si cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Yes – Anseong-si is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,123 in Anseong-si. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or Anseong-si?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Anseong-si. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafÃĐ pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Chiang Mai and Anseong-si?
Groceries cost about 75% more in Anseong-si, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Chiang Mai or Anseong-si?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Anseong-si at $1,415. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Anseong-si it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Chiang Mai or Anseong-si more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Anseong-si?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Anseong-si makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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