Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Chiang Mai

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 Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $925 in Chiang Mai.

Austin, TX $2,698
Chiang Mai $925

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,414 in Chiang Mai.

Austin, TX $4,160
Chiang Mai $1,414

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $1,903 in Chiang Mai.

Austin, TX $5,622
Chiang Mai $1,903

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 192% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$2.29 ฿76.5

800.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.64 ฿656

330.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$5.61 ฿188

115.15%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$1.66 ฿55.6

230.12%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$0.70 ฿23.40

442.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.31 ฿10.24

696.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.41 ฿80.4

234.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$3.71 ฿124

139.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.95 ฿65.3

-43.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.41 ฿47.03

163.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.31 ฿43.62

157.25%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.18 ฿72.9

98.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$16.65 ฿556

-21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$2.76 ฿92.2

412.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$9.11 ฿304

79.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.39 ฿80.0

90.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.03 ฿34.26

41.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.63 ฿54.4

188.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.50 ฿50.0

176.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.29 ฿43.13

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.11 ฿37.03

111.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.72 ฿24.08

145.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.53 ฿17.59

303.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.31 ฿144

134.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$17.95 ฿600

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.58 ฿52.9

78.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.84 ฿95.0

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.86 ฿28.86

79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$53.3 ฿1,780

-23.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.21 ฿40.29

131.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.57 ฿18.99

180.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$2.35 ฿78.6

1361.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.44 ฿47.96

-34.72%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

63.92%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-0.13%

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

$223 $223

$62.3 ฿2,083

257.21%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$12.11 ฿405

386.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$19.94 ฿666

254.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$37.07 ฿1,239

55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$3.78 ฿126

337.30%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$6.50 ฿217

119.38%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$793 ฿26.5K

90.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

41.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$53.7 ฿1,796

-4.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$24.62 ฿823

79.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$90.9 ฿3,036

-4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$71.1 ฿2,378

46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$455 ฿15.2K

325.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$298 ฿9,954

341.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$908 ฿30.4K

303.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$554 ฿18.5K

363.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,931 ฿64.5K

280.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,445 ฿48.3K

116.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$591 ฿19.7K

794.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.57

21.90%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 77.4% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 42% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 73.2% $258

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 77.6% $271

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 16.2% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 41.9% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 4.9% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $455 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 795% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $235 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

10:45 10:45 AM

22:45 10:45 PM

12 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Chiang Mai 14,270 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Chiang Mai

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 192% lower than in Austin, TX. 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 795% 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $455 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $925 in Chiang Mai – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 30% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $925 in Chiang Mai versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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 $925 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX 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 192% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.