Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, KY and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, KY and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,674 in Arlington, KY versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,938 in Arlington, KY versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,201 in Arlington, KY versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Arlington, KY is roughly 216% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arlington, KY is 100% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.78 $17.78

$2.03 ฿68.5

775.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$18.71 ฿631

331.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$7.84 ฿265

29.97%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$1.93 ฿65.0

211.40%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$0.83 ฿28.05

248.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.35 ฿11.82

608.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 $6.64

$2.22 ฿74.9

199.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$3.79 ฿128

105.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.65 ฿55.5

-57.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.55 ฿52.4

160.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.18 ฿39.86

288.98%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.01 ฿68.0

88.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$16.16 ฿545

-22.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$3.03 ฿102

406.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$10.84 ฿366

49.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.68 ฿90.4

66.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.22 ฿41.21

13.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.63 ฿54.9

188.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$1.53 ฿51.6

254.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.34 ฿45.18

44.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.21 ฿40.93

86.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.70 ฿23.67

192.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.53 ฿17.73

188.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$4.69 ฿158

93.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$17.71 ฿598

-15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.85 ฿62.3

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.21 ฿108

38.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.89 ฿30.07

131.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.41 ฿47.48

258.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.29 ฿43.59

20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 $20.72

$7.79 ฿263

165.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.29 ฿43.67

-34.11%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

49.24%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

20.66%

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

$206 $206

$70.0 ฿2,362

193.73%

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

$71.2 $71.2

$14.19 ฿479

401.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$17.42 ฿588

313.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 $43.36

$41.64 ฿1,405

4.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$5.78 ฿195

163.32%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$300 ฿10.1K

320.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

106.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$55.4 ฿1,869

7.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.47 $48.47

$26.31 ฿888

84.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$84.8 ฿2,863

8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$70.5 ฿2,379

92.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 $1,629

$425 ฿14.4K

283.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$235 ฿7,933

466.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$802 ฿27.1K

232.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 $2,250

$516 ฿17.4K

336.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,926 ฿65.0K

25.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,124 $2,124

$1,451 ฿49.0K

46.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,005 $6,005

$586 ฿19.8K

924.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

30.40%

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

Last update for Arlington, KY: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,629 in Arlington, KY and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, KY pays 924% 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: $81.0 in Arlington, KY vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $242 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

Arlington, KY vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, KY and Chiang Mai differ by about 216% in total monthly costs ($2,674 vs $847 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 924% higher in Arlington, KY, 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: $1,629 in Arlington, KY versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Arlington, KY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,674 per month in Arlington, KY versus $847 in Chiang Mai – a 216% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $847 in Chiang Mai versus $2,674 in Arlington, KY, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Arlington, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arlington, KY 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 216% less than in Arlington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.