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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,218 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $4,933 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $6,648 in Ashgabat.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 74% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Ashgabat is 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$35.11 TMT 123

-94.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$84.5 TMT 296

-77.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$14.26 TMT 49.93

-44.46%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$7.09 TMT 24.82

-73.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.33 TMT 11.64

-74.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.88 TMT 3.09

-60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.29 TMT 18.52

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$14.51 TMT 50.8

-73.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$4.79 TMT 16.75

-65.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.42 TMT 8.48

-33.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$7.44 TMT 26.03

-84.14%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$6.19 TMT 21.68

-67.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$40.14 TMT 141

-60.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$18.59 TMT 65.1

-83.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$18.74 TMT 65.6

-42.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$5.34 TMT 18.69

-51.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$8.86 TMT 31.01

-86.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$7.48 TMT 26.18

-77.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.63 TMT 12.69

-56.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.30 TMT 8.05

-42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.80 TMT 6.30

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.99 TMT 6.96

-66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.09 TMT 3.81

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$25.64 TMT 89.7

-82.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$41.19 TMT 144

-55.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$4.74 TMT 16.58

-61.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.94 TMT 10.28

9.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.15 TMT 0.53

493.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$8.42 TMT 29.47

130.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.91 TMT 10.20

-53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.82 TMT 2.88

64.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$8.62 TMT 30.18

-4.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.42 TMT 1.47

202.38%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$43.4K TMT 151.8K

-51.23%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$56.6K TMT 198.2K

-60.29%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$574 TMT 2,007

-87.77%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$57.2 TMT 200

-75.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$102 TMT 355

-82.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$197 TMT 689

-78.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$43.92 TMT 154

-84.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$14.21 TMT 49.72

-59.32%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$22.41 TMT 78.4

1266.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$25.7K TMT 90.0K

-42.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$65.3 TMT 228

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$121 TMT 422

-78.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$295 TMT 1,033

-71.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$184 TMT 644

-62.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,132 TMT 3,963

-62.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$743 TMT 2,599

-67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,760 TMT 6,159

-53.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,616 TMT 5,657

-68.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,496 TMT 12.2K

-41.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,865 TMT 10.0K

-46.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$751 TMT 2,629

-15.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

-47.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 18% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $84.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $668 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Ashgabat differ by about 278% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $3,218 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ashgabat earns 18% less. 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $22.41 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 174% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,218 in Ashgabat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Ashgabat 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 278% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.