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: $847 in Chiang Mai versus $775 in Assis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,332 in Chiang Mai versus $1,236 in Assis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Chiang Mai versus $1,698 in Assis.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 9% more expensive than in Assis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 37% lower, Assis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$5.31 R$26.88

-61.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$27.04 R$137

-30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$6.26 R$31.68

25.24%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$1.79 R$9.07

7.82%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$1.13 R$5.69

-26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$0.63 R$3.17

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.83 R$9.24

21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.65 R$13.43

43.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.00 R$5.07

65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$1.28 R$6.46

21.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$1.83 R$9.26

-35.52%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$1.44 R$7.27

39.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$6.65 R$33.66

143.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$4.85 R$24.51

-37.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$7.97 R$40.29

36.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$2.17 R$11.00

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$1.11 R$5.62

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.10 R$5.58

48.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.70 R$8.57

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$1.76 R$8.90

-23.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$1.10 R$5.55

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$0.83 R$4.20

-15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.88 R$4.47

-39.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.16 R$10.92

117.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$5.99 R$30.29

195.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.20 R$6.09

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.99 R$10.05

61.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$0.93 R$4.72

-4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$38.17 R$193

-50.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$1.10 R$5.55

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.71 R$3.59

81.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$6.38 R$32.26

22.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.08 R$5.46

19.44%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$20.5K R$103.8K

6.11%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$28.1K R$142.1K

-22.80%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$59.5 R$301

17.55%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$13.32 R$67.4

6.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$18.53 R$93.7

-5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$22.96 R$116

81.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$21.28 R$108

-67.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$6.40 R$32.37

-9.69%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$266 R$1,346

12.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$6,550 R$33.1K

121.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$48.37 R$245

14.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$41.65 R$211

-36.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$77.0 R$389

10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$63.7 R$322

10.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$309 R$1,563

37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$217 R$1,100

8.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$594 R$3,004

35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$437 R$2,212

17.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$1,415 R$7,156

36.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$1,107 R$5,598

31.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$590 R$2,984

-0.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Assis: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Chiang Mai and $309 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Assis pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Assis. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $178, 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Assis. 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: $425 in Chiang Mai versus $309 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 103% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $300 in Chiang Mai versus $266 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Assis gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 9% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.