Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $626 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Anshan
Learn more

Anshan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Anshan

🇨🇳 China

$626

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $626 in Anshan.

Chiang Mai $925
Anshan $626

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $1,011 in Anshan.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Anshan $1,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $1,396 in Anshan.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Anshan $1,396

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 48% more expensive than in Anshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Anshan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$2.94 ¥19.67

-22.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$18.46 ¥123

6.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$4.59 ¥30.70

22.22%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.49 ¥16.65

-33.33%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.36 ¥2.38

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.21 ¥1.40

47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$0.73 ¥4.89

230.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$1.61 ¥10.79

130.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.77 ¥11.80

10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.26 ¥8.42

11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.39 ¥2.59

235.90%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.06 ¥7.07

105.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$9.06 ¥60.6

83.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$1.83 ¥12.24

50.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$8.93 ¥59.7

2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.02 ¥6.83

134.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.17 ¥7.80

-11.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.17 ¥7.83

39.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.19 ¥7.95

26.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.31 ¥2.08

316.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.92 ¥6.14

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.29 ¥1.93

148.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.44 ¥2.92

20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$3.78 ¥25.28

14.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$7.39 ¥49.42

142.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.72 ¥4.79

119.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.09 ¥7.29

160.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.29 ¥1.92

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$18.04 ¥121

195.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.03 ¥6.90

17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.14 ¥0.90

307.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$2.93 ¥19.59

-19.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.05 ¥7.05

37.14%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$19.5K ¥130.4K

6.32%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$15.1K ¥101.2K

77.05%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$29.47 ¥197

111.50%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$7.37 ¥49.28

64.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$14.66 ¥98.0

36.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$41.48 ¥277

-10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$14.78 ¥98.9

-74.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$5.93 ¥39.63

9.61%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$226 ¥1,514

250.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$21.4K ¥143.1K

-30.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$36.77 ¥246

46.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$32.89 ¥220

-25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$60.6 ¥405

49.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$69.9 ¥468

1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$295 ¥1,971

54.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$182 ¥1,217

63.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$629 ¥4,209

44.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$377 ¥2,518

47.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

-44.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,923 ¥12.9K

-24.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$926 ¥6,194

-36.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

178.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Anshan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Anshan

$182 29.1% 38.9% $116

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Anshan

$152 24.2% 35.6% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Anshan

$90 14.4% 16.7% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Anshan

$52 8.2% 45.4% $43

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Anshan

$76 12.2% 2.9% $2.3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Anshan

$21 3.3% 65.6% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Anshan

$53 8.5% 6.5% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Chiang Mai and $295 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anshan pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $18.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $152 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇳 Anshan

🕒 Local time

18:38 6:38 PM

19:38 7:38 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,543,696

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, 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).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Anshan 3,370 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Anshan

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 Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Anshan. 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 $295 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $925 per month in Chiang Mai versus $626 in Anshan – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Anshan versus $925 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Anshan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Anshan 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 Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.