Cost of Living Comparison Between Airway Heights, WA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Airway Heights, WA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Airway Heights, WA versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,926 in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,094 in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Airway Heights, WA is roughly 227% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Airway Heights, WA is 106% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$1.95 ฿62.8

943.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 $64.6

$18.43 ฿594

250.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$7.50 ฿241

57.20%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$1.93 ฿62.3

151.81%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$0.78 ฿25.08

229.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.32 ฿10.42

521.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.15 ฿69.2

185.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.71 ฿120

77.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.71 ฿55.2

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.56 ฿50.3

96.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$1.18 ฿38.06

426.27%

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

$1.98 ฿63.9

132.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$16.04 ฿517

3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$3.17 ฿102

365.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.95 $15.95

$10.94 ฿353

45.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.63 ฿84.7

96.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.17 ฿37.61

60.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.65 ฿53.0

212.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$1.54 ฿49.51

272.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.38 ฿44.34

102.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.17 ฿37.54

136.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.66 ฿21.25

204.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 ฿16.55

301.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.46 $11.46

$4.52 ฿146

153.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$18.32 ฿590

-19.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.80 ฿57.9

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.18 ฿102

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.90 ฿28.97

125.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$1.41 ฿45.50

263.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.31 ฿42.15

30.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.30 $39.30

$8.09 ฿261

385.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.28 ฿41.08

-26.56%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

30.56%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

20.18%

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

$268 $268

$69.2 ฿2,230

286.86%

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

$56.0 $56.0

$13.97 ฿450

300.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$17.95 ฿578

309.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.88 $42.88

$42.31 ฿1,363

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$5.92 ฿191

157.94%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$299 ฿9,640

378.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

9.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$56.2 ฿1,810

-8.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 $49.87

$26.94 ฿868

85.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$84.9 ฿2,735

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 $94.2

$71.8 ฿2,314

31.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$435 ฿14.0K

262.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 $1,352

$240 ฿7,727

463.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 $2,603

$798 ฿25.7K

226.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 $2,193

$498 ฿16.1K

340.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,900 $2,900

$1,995 ฿64.3K

45.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,056 $2,056

$1,532 ฿49.4K

34.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 $4,217

$628 ฿20.2K

571.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

32.80%

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

Last update for Airway Heights, WA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,578 in Airway Heights, WA and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Airway Heights, WA pays 571% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65 in Airway Heights, WA vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $244 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Airway Heights, WA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 227% lower than in Airway Heights, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Airway Heights, WA pays 571% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,578 in Airway Heights, WA versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Airway Heights, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Airway Heights, WA versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,759 in Airway Heights, WA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Airway Heights, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $845 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Airway Heights, WA and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 227% less than in Airway Heights, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.