Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Cha-am

For one person, living is cheaper in Cha-am: $880 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Cha-am
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Cha-am Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Cha-am

🇹🇭 Thailand

$880

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Cha-am

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $880 in Cha-am.

Austin, TX $2,663
Cha-am $880

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,412 in Cha-am.

Austin, TX $4,133
Cha-am $1,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $1,944 in Cha-am.

Austin, TX $5,603
Cha-am $1,944

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 203% more expensive than in Cha-am, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Cha-am is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$3.29 ฿110

531.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$22.60 ฿755

274.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$7.27 ฿243

69.46%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.04 ฿68.1

175.98%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.68 ฿22.66

447.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.34 ฿11.50

635.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.36 ฿78.7

241.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$3.00 ฿100

200.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.78 ฿59.5

-37.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.49 ฿49.76

151.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.33 ฿44.43

145.11%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.95 ฿65.0

113.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.47 ฿417

3.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$2.54 ฿85.0

457.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$10.20 ฿341

59.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.53 ฿118

22.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.22 ฿40.86

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.87 ฿62.5

141.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.75 ฿58.3

148.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.76 ฿59.0

46.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.09 ฿36.28

115.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.16 ฿38.80

53.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.45 ฿15.07

393.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.31 ฿144

129.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$17.71 ฿592

-14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.73 ฿57.8

68.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.96 ฿99.0

16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.92 ฿30.63

61.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$22.26 ฿744

87.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.37 ฿45.80

99.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.07 ฿35.67

55.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$3.62 ฿121

875.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.40 ฿46.86

-32.14%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$16.4K ฿546.9K

120.27%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$27.1K ฿905.9K

-0.12%

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

$229 $229

$82.1 ฿2,744

178.95%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$11.41 ฿381

420.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$23.66 ฿791

195.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$23.81 ฿796

140.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$5.81 ฿194

181.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$6.65 ฿222

114.74%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$609 ฿20.4K

147.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$11.0K ฿368.4K

94.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$50.1 ฿1,675

5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$29.35 ฿981

49.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$70.5 ฿2,357

20.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$52.6 ฿1,758

95.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$373 ฿12.5K

411.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$273 ฿9,109

367.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$750 ฿25.1K

388.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$643 ฿21.5K

294.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$351 ฿11.7K

1358.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.96

13.93%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Cha-am

$273 31% 78.6% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Cha-am

$235 26.7% 41.9% $169

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Cha-am

$117 13.3% 67.3% $241

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Cha-am

$94 10.7% 73.3% $259

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Cha-am

$91 10.4% 28.8% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Cha-am

$37 4.2% 56.7% $49

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Cha-am

$33 3.7% 44.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $373 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1358% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $23.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $235 per month, with Cha-am cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇭 Cha-am

🕒 Local time

13:40 1:40 PM

01:40 1:40 AM

12 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

31,354

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Cha-am 14,860 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Cha-am

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

Austin, TX vs Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cha-am wins on cost – living expenses run 203% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cha-am the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1358% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $373 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $880 in Cha-am – a 203% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 87% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $880 in Cha-am versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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, Austin, TX and Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 203% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.