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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $828 in Assis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,284 in Assis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,739 in Assis.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 15% more expensive than in Assis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Assis 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.81 R$29.81

-63.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$23.06 R$118

-13.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.85 R$29.99

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.96 R$10.02

-6.63%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.19 R$6.10

-34.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.72 R$3.70

-56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.57 R$8.05

49.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$1.97 R$10.09

87.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.09 R$5.58

86.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.37 R$7.02

16.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.43 R$7.31

-0.70%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.53 R$7.84

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.14 R$36.59

122.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.89 R$19.94

-21.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.10 R$41.52

21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.81 R$9.26

45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.19 R$6.09

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.75 R$3.84

117.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.37 R$7.03

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.12 R$5.72

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.98 R$5.03

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.89 R$4.55

-16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.93 R$4.75

-46.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.25 R$11.52

90.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.88 R$30.16

205.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.39 R$7.13

22.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.88 R$14.75

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.00 R$5.15

-6.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$41.89 R$215

31.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.29 R$11.76

-46.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.76 R$3.88

-30.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.71 R$13.91

-11.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.19 R$6.10

21.01%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$34.8K R$178.2K

-39.05%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.9K R$163.4K

-14.34%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$82.0 R$420

-20.79%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$10.54 R$54.0

26.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$21.99 R$113

-5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$24.68 R$127

63.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$26.54 R$136

-85.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.78 R$29.62

16.09%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$294 R$1,509

167.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,299 R$37.4K

107.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$40.77 R$209

37.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$56.1 R$288

-55.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$83.6 R$428

10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$57.1 R$293

31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$345 R$1,768

40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$236 R$1,210

21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$646 R$3,310

40.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$454 R$2,326

16.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,599 R$8,198

23.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,136 R$5,825

27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$582 R$2,981

4.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.5

-46.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Assis: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $345 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 4% 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 $23.00 in Assis. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $172, with Assis cheaper for home cooking.

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 Assis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $345 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 32% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $294 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in Assis versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assis 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 Assis 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 Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.