Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sumgayit

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumgayit: $764 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Sumgayit
Learn more

Sumgayit Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Sumgayit

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$764

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Sumgayit

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Sumgayit actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $764 in Sumgayit, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Sumgayit $764

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,221 in Sumgayit, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Sumgayit $1,221

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,677 in Sumgayit, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Sumgayit $1,677

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Sumgayit, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Sumgayit are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Sumgayit 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$8.22 ₼13.98

-72.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$29.26 ₼49.72

-35.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.79 ₼9.83

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.64 ₼4.48

-36.74%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.85 ₼1.44

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.58 ₼0.98

-46.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.20 ₼2.03

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.30 ₼3.91

59.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.36 ₼2.30

43.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$0.35 ₼0.60

311.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$2.37 ₼4.03

-43.88%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.17 ₼2.00

94.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$2.95 ₼5.01

457.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.44 ₼7.54

-37.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$8.90 ₼15.12

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$0.67 ₼1.14

250.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$1.61 ₼2.74

-39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.37 ₼2.33

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.01 ₼1.71

48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$0.59 ₼1.01

116.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$0.52 ₼0.88

111.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$0.43 ₼0.74

65.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.59 ₼1.01

-16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.43 ₼5.82

20.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.42 ₼9.20

223.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.86 ₼1.46

87.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$1.87 ₼3.17

48.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.30 ₼0.52

190.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$26.86 ₼45.64

101.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$0.30 ₼0.52

286.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$0.30 ₼0.52

76.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$4.67 ₼7.93

-48.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$0.66 ₼1.11

119.70%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$26.6K ₼45.2K

-20.77%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$26.9K ₼45.7K

0.12%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$33.82 ₼57.5

83.83%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$12.54 ₼21.31

-2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$14.58 ₼24.77

38.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$26.95 ₼45.81

38.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$20.43 ₼34.73

-81.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$7.76 ₼13.19

-16.37%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$279 ₼475

163.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$16.2K ₼27.6K

-8.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$89.6 ₼152

-40.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$59.8 ₼102

-58.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$128 ₼218

-28.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$120 ₼203

-39.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$242 ₼412

99.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$178 ₼303

73.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$327 ₼556

207.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$296 ₼503

114.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$1,215 ₼2,065

94.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$778 ₼1,323

104.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$366 ₼623

61.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sumgayit: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Sumgayit

$178 23.3% 42.3% $131

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Sumgayit

$143 18.7% 39% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Sumgayit

$179 23.4% 64.6% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Sumgayit

$61 8% 35.5% $34

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Sumgayit

$131 17.2% 69% $54

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sumgayit

$30 3.9% 51.3% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Sumgayit

$42 5.6% 15.5% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $242 in Sumgayit. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $29 in Sumgayit. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $143 in Sumgayit – so Sumgayit wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇿 Sumgayit

🕒 Local time

21:11 9:11 PM

18:11 6:11 PM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

331,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.527 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.9 AZN (1 AZN = 0.527 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Sumgayit 5,260 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sumgayit

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sumgayit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Sumgayit, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,147 in Sumgayit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sumgayit, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $242 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $279 in Sumgayit. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $764 in Sumgayit, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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