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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $511 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $808 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,106 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Az-zabadani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Az-zabadani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Az-zabadani 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.08 SYP 672

-67.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$27.76 SYP 3,068

-32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.37 SYP 593

44.32%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.54 SYP 170

24.68%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.14 SYP 126

-30.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.68 SYP 74.9

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.56 SYP 173

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.53 SYP 279

44.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.98 SYP 108

68.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.62 SYP 68.8

162.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.67 SYP 185

-28.74%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.88 SYP 208

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$3.15 SYP 348

407.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.61 SYP 840

-60.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.22 SYP 1,240

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.86 SYP 94.9

220.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.74 SYP 192

-32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.00 SYP 110

64.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.93 SYP 103

63.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.62 SYP 68.4

122.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.65 SYP 72.4

83.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.38 SYP 41.53

84.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.58 SYP 64.2

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.04 SYP 336

50.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.87 SYP 648

182.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.97 SYP 107

88.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.77 SYP 195

80.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.98 SYP 108

38.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.22 SYP 134

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.50 SYP 719

20.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$3.59 SYP 397

-65.74%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

16.70%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$21.3K SYP 2.4M

5.84%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$100 SYP 11.1K

-29.71%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.50 SYP 940

60.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$54.4 SYP 6,007

-67.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.96 SYP 328

94.93%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$43.01 SYP 4,752

613.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,806 SYP 199.6K

709.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$29.35 SYP 3,243

90.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$25.51 SYP 2,819

2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$44.18 SYP 4,882

94.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$55.5 SYP 6,131

30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Az-zabadani: June 8, 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $167 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 70% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $766 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 45% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $511 in Az-zabadani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Az-zabadani costs $511 versus $869 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.