Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,688 in Baltimore, MD versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,063 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,437 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Baltimore, MD is roughly 212% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baltimore, MD is 101% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.93 $19.93

$1.96 ฿65.7

916.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$18.35 ฿616

338.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$7.48 ฿251

35.43%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$2.02 ฿67.7

153.47%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$0.85 ฿28.45

178.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.36 ฿11.94

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.14 ฿71.7

172.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.59 ฿121

103.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.65 ฿55.4

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.57 ฿52.6

150.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.19 ฿39.95

287.39%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$1.94 ฿65.0

118.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 $13.57

$16.19 ฿544

-16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$2.99 ฿100

231.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$10.94 ฿367

48.45%

Apples (1kg)

$7.06 $7.06

$2.71 ฿91.0

160.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.17 ฿39.18

39.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$1.69 ฿56.6

316.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$1.60 ฿53.9

230.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.38 ฿46.45

94.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.20 ฿40.38

150.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.67 ฿22.46

261.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.56 ฿18.70

375.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.37 $12.37

$4.64 ฿156

166.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$17.62 ฿591

-13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.86 ฿62.4

22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.30 ฿111

18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.88 ฿29.63

190.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 $76.9

$19.34 ฿649

297.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.36 ฿45.82

36.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.34 ฿44.90

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$8.21 ฿276

187.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.22 ฿41.11

-30.33%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

19.68%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

14.42%

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

$173 $173

$70.7 ฿2,372

145.48%

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

$56.5 $56.5

$14.04 ฿471

302.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 $78.5

$17.49 ฿587

349.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 $56.6

$42.15 ฿1,415

34.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.27 $30.27

$6.88 ฿231

339.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$5.92 ฿199

156.42%

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

$1,298 $1,298

$309 ฿10.4K

320.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.9K $32.9K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

120.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$55.8 ฿1,872

-9.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.8 $71.8

$26.11 ฿877

175.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$83.0 ฿2,787

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$70.5 ฿2,365

58.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 $1,846

$432 ฿14.5K

327.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 $1,319

$239 ฿8,020

451.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,370 $3,370

$822 ฿27.6K

309.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 $2,284

$512 ฿17.2K

346.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,537 $2,537

$1,915 ฿64.3K

32.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,297 $2,297

$1,467 ฿49.3K

56.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,332 $4,332

$579 ฿19.4K

647.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

31.80%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,846 in Baltimore, MD and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 648% 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 Baltimore, MD vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $243 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

Baltimore, MD vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 212% lower than in Baltimore, MD. 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 648% higher in Baltimore, MD, 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: $1,846 in Baltimore, MD versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Baltimore, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $81.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,688 in Baltimore, MD, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Baltimore, MD. 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 $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baltimore, MD 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 212% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.