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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $362 in Zaqatala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $605 in Zaqatala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $847 in Zaqatala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 134% more than Zaqatala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zaqatala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zaqatala 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$5.41 ₼9.19

-63.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$20.61 ₼35.02

-10.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$6.87 ₼11.68

14.56%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.40 ₼4.08

-18.75%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.62 ₼1.05

37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.54 ₼0.92

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.71 ₼2.90

25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.97 ₼5.05

23.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.02 ₼1.74

62.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.40 ₼0.68

290.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$2.22 ₼3.78

-46.40%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.39 ₼2.36

43.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$3.58 ₼6.08

353.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$2.32 ₼3.94

36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$8.39 ₼14.26

29.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$0.74 ₼1.26

258.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.15 ₼1.95

6.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$0.61 ₼1.03

170.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.69 ₼1.17

124.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.28 ₼0.47

375.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.40 ₼0.69

202.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.91 ₼1.54

-25.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.58 ₼0.98

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$1.75 ₼2.97

167.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$8.98 ₼15.25

89.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.15 ₼1.95

58.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.09 ₼3.55

52.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.21 ₼0.35

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.61 ₼1.04

109.84%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

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

$14.05 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$34.02 ₼57.8

21.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

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

$303 ฿9,846

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$117 ₼198

266.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$82.9 ₼141

188.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$235 ₼399

245.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$147 ₼251

245.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Zaqatala: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $117 in Zaqatala. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Zaqatala. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $133 in Zaqatala – so Zaqatala 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 Zaqatala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 134% more than Zaqatala, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $544 in Zaqatala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $848 in Chiang Mai and $362 in Zaqatala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 83% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $362 in Zaqatala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zaqatala costs $362 versus $848 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 Zaqatala. 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.