Cost of Living Comparison Between Artesia, NM and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Artesia, NM and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,404 in Artesia, NM versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,442 in Artesia, NM versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,480 in Artesia, NM versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Artesia, NM is roughly 184% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Artesia, NM is 80% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.87 $15.87

$2.03 ฿68.5

681.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.26 $47.26

$18.71 ฿631

152.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$7.84 ฿265

55.10%

Cappuccino

$6.45 $6.45

$1.93 ฿65.0

234.20%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$0.83 ฿28.05

238.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.35 ฿11.82

440.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.22 ฿74.9

129.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.79 ฿128

59.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.65 ฿55.5

-49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.55 ฿52.4

61.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.18 ฿39.86

120.34%

Eggs

$3.41 $3.41

$2.01 ฿68.0

69.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$16.16 ฿545

-31.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 $11.33

$3.03 ฿102

273.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.84 ฿366

11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.68 ฿90.4

50.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.22 ฿41.21

4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.63 ฿54.9

149.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.53 ฿51.6

187.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.34 ฿45.18

158.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.21 ฿40.93

147.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.70 ฿23.67

211.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.53 ฿17.73

201.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.08 $12.08

$4.69 ฿158

157.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 $8.40

$17.71 ฿598

-52.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.85 ฿62.3

15.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.21 ฿108

46.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.89 ฿30.07

121.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.41 ฿47.48

16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.29 ฿43.59

28.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.03 $27.03

$7.79 ฿263

246.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.29 ฿43.67

-41.09%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

7.66%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

17.99%

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

$152 $152

$70.0 ฿2,362

116.60%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$14.19 ฿479

357.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$17.42 ฿588

305.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.34 $43.34

$41.64 ฿1,405

4.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$8.11 $8.11

$5.78 ฿195

40.31%

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

$584 $584

$300 ฿10.1K

94.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,033 $7,033

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-51.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 $38.05

$55.4 ฿1,869

-31.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.62 $40.62

$26.31 ฿888

54.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 $83.9

$84.8 ฿2,863

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 $78.5

$70.5 ฿2,379

11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$425 ฿14.4K

276.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$235 ฿7,933

484.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$802 ฿27.1K

225.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 $2,178

$516 ฿17.4K

322.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,787 $2,787

$1,926 ฿65.0K

44.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,361 $2,361

$1,451 ฿49.0K

62.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,543 $3,543

$586 ฿19.8K

504.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

30.20%

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

Last update for Artesia, NM: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Artesia, NM and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Artesia, NM pays 504% 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: $47.00 in Artesia, NM vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 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

Artesia, NM vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 184% lower than in Artesia, NM. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 504% higher in Artesia, NM, 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: $1,602 in Artesia, NM versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $584 in Artesia, NM versus $300 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Artesia, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $847 in Chiang Mai versus $2,404 in Artesia, NM, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Artesia, NM. 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 $847 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Artesia, NM 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 184% less than in Artesia, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.