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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $3,395 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $5,090 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $6,786 in Ashgabat.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 72% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Ashgabat is 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$31.85 TMT 107

-93.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$86.7 TMT 291

-77.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$12.67 TMT 42.58

-54.30%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$6.98 TMT 23.46

-73.78%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.55 TMT 5.21

-49.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.89 TMT 2.99

-65.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$5.63 TMT 18.91

-58.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$13.49 TMT 45.33

-72.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$4.53 TMT 15.21

-55.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.05 TMT 6.90

-21.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$5.81 TMT 19.51

-75.56%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$5.92 TMT 19.88

-63.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$37.28 TMT 125

-57.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$20.11 TMT 67.6

-84.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$23.55 TMT 79.1

-58.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.94 TMT 16.60

-46.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$8.67 TMT 29.14

-87.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$7.46 TMT 25.07

-78.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.73 TMT 12.54

-58.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.35 TMT 7.89

-47.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.40 TMT 4.69

-19.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.72 TMT 9.14

-72.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.08 TMT 3.62

-53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$25.77 TMT 86.6

-83.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$41.10 TMT 138

-56.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$5.34 TMT 17.93

-68.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.88 TMT 9.69

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.14 TMT 0.47

571.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$9.96 TMT 33.48

455.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.78 TMT 9.35

-55.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.82 TMT 2.77

-35.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$8.35 TMT 28.05

-71.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.41 TMT 1.38

251.22%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$43.2K TMT 145.2K

-50.97%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$56.8K TMT 190.7K

-51.90%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$569 TMT 1,910

-88.58%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$57.3 TMT 192

-76.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$102 TMT 342

-79.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$194 TMT 653

-79.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$44.42 TMT 149

-91.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.59 TMT 28.87

-21.89%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$22.78 TMT 76.5

3354.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$24.8K TMT 83.3K

-39.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$55.3 TMT 186

1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$113 TMT 379

-77.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$360 TMT 1,211

-74.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$193 TMT 650

-61.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,135 TMT 3,814

-57.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$991 TMT 3,329

-71.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,294 TMT 7,708

-60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,932 TMT 6,492

-72.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,521 TMT 11.8K

-43.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,847 TMT 9,567

-49.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$765 TMT 2,570

-20.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.5

-41.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $1,135 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 26% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $87.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $669 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 257% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $3,395 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,135 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $22.78 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 $950 in Chiang Mai versus $3,395 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 257% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.