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 $3,109 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $4,786 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $6,463 in Ashgabat.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 73% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Ashgabat is 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$35.12 TMT 118

-94.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$84.0 TMT 282

-77.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$14.34 TMT 48.19

-45.19%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$7.20 TMT 24.19

-71.81%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.28 TMT 11.01

-75.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.89 TMT 3.00

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$5.19 TMT 17.43

-58.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$14.49 TMT 48.69

-74.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$4.96 TMT 16.67

-65.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$2.37 TMT 7.96

-33.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$7.24 TMT 24.33

-83.43%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$6.31 TMT 21.21

-68.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$40.74 TMT 137

-60.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$18.78 TMT 63.1

-83.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$18.75 TMT 63.0

-42.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$5.48 TMT 18.40

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$8.78 TMT 29.51

-86.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$7.85 TMT 26.39

-78.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.46 TMT 11.61

-54.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.23 TMT 7.48

-37.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.76 TMT 5.90

-34.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.98 TMT 6.66

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.10 TMT 3.70

-52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$25.79 TMT 86.6

-81.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$41.98 TMT 141

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$4.63 TMT 15.57

-61.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.94 TMT 9.88

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.15 TMT 0.49

506.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$8.35 TMT 28.07

123.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.79 TMT 9.38

-49.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.81 TMT 2.72

65.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$8.50 TMT 28.57

-4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.41 TMT 1.38

200.00%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$43.2K TMT 145.3K

-50.42%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$57.2K TMT 192.2K

-61.85%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$578 TMT 1,943

-87.67%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$57.7 TMT 194

-75.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$103 TMT 348

-82.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$196 TMT 659

-79.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$44.49 TMT 149

-84.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$14.03 TMT 47.14

-59.23%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$23.12 TMT 77.7

1233.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$25.6K TMT 85.9K

-42.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$66.7 TMT 224

-16.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$121 TMT 405

-78.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$305 TMT 1,024

-72.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$184 TMT 619

-61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,127 TMT 3,786

-62.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$742 TMT 2,494

-67.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,818 TMT 6,107

-56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,633 TMT 5,486

-68.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$3,513 TMT 11.8K

-45.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$2,877 TMT 9,667

-49.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$742 TMT 2,494

-19.82%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $1,127 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 25% 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 $244 vs $673 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 265% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $3,109 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Ashgabat. 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,127 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $23.12 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 176% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,109 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 265% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.