Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Az-zabadani Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Az-zabadani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $528 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $810 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,091 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Az-zabadani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Az-zabadani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Az-zabadani 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.95 SYP 723

-65.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.99 SYP 3,401

-33.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.64 SYP 686

39.36%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.51 SYP 183

34.44%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.12 SYP 136

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.69 SYP 83.6

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.57 SYP 190

36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.53 SYP 308

45.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.03 SYP 125

67.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.63 SYP 76.7

149.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.76 SYP 214

-31.82%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.94 SYP 236

1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$2.99 SYP 364

442.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.79 SYP 946

-60.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.43 SYP 1,389

-5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.93 SYP 113

197.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.76 SYP 214

-33.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.99 SYP 121

72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.88 SYP 106

80.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.61 SYP 74.3

127.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.63 SYP 76.2

84.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.37 SYP 45.22

78.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.61 SYP 74.4

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.08 SYP 374

50.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.75 SYP 942

129.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.98 SYP 119

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.76 SYP 213

89.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.97 SYP 118

45.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.27 SYP 154

5.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.48 SYP 788

25.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$3.78 SYP 459

-67.46%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

18.00%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

4.35%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$101 SYP 12.2K

-29.07%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.30 SYP 1,008

68.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$54.7 SYP 6,650

-67.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.97 SYP 361

92.59%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$43.25 SYP 5,255

612.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,849 SYP 224.6K

694.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$29.10 SYP 3,536

91.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$25.48 SYP 3,096

2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$45.71 SYP 5,554

85.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$57.0 SYP 6,919

24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Az-zabadani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Az-zabadani. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $173 in Az-zabadani – so Az-zabadani wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Az-zabadani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Az-zabadani, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $792 in Az-zabadani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Az-zabadani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $528 in Az-zabadani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Az-zabadani costs $528 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Az-zabadani. 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.