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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $442 in Aswan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $732 in Aswan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,022 in Aswan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 115% more than Aswan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aswan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aswan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.02 E£204

-48.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$15.42 E£784

27.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.79 E£244

17.95%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.30 E£66.1

39.23%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.32 E£16.50

121.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.14 E£7.12

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.24 E£63.2

80.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.31 E£168

9.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.82 E£41.76

139.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.55 E£28.06

172.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.64 E£32.81

109.38%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.45 E£73.6

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$3.24 E£165

401.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.17 E£212

-29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$9.32 E£474

6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.62 E£82.3

58.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.70 E£35.53

51.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.50 E£25.65

222.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.37 E£18.85

310.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.39 E£19.94

225.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.35 E£17.56

205.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.27 E£13.83

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.18 E£9.21

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.91 E£97.3

119.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.99 E£356

155.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.11 E£56.7

52.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.17 E£110

30.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.18 E£9.23

416.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.38 E£19.39

223.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.24 E£12.32

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$1.69 E£85.8

43.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.42 E£21.31

235.71%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$34.7K E£1.8M

-38.19%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$29.9K E£1.5M

-8.50%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$19.82 E£1,009

221.24%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$7.49 E£381

71.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$13.51 E£687

49.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$18.49 E£941

109.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$4.90 E£250

-18.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$2.91 E£148

131.62%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$89.2 E£4,536

772.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,733 E£88.2K

743.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$18.47 E£940

193.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$41.68 E£2,121

-38.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$107 E£5,460

-12.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$50.5 E£2,568

45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$127 E£6,442

286.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$89.5 E£4,553

223.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$244 E£12.4K

265.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$170 E£8,667

203.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$894 E£45.5K

118.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$507 E£25.8K

191.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aswan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $127 in Aswan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Aswan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $126 – making Aswan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Aswan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 115%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $662 in Aswan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aswan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Aswan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aswan, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Aswan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aswan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aswan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.