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: $2,460 in Baltimore, MD versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,792 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,124 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Baltimore, MD is roughly 160% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baltimore, MD is 79% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.79 $18.79

$2.08 ฿69.4

803.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 $91.7

$19.64 ฿654

366.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 $10.90

$5.65 ฿188

92.92%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$1.81 ฿60.1

185.08%

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

$3.56 $3.56

$0.71 ฿23.75

401.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.32 ฿10.52

734.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 $6.79

$2.24 ฿74.5

203.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$3.63 ฿121

123.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.96 ฿65.2

-40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.50 ฿50.0

142.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.34 ฿44.49

202.99%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$2.26 ฿75.4

125.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 $12.89

$16.26 ฿541

-20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.37 $12.37

$2.95 ฿98.4

319.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.63 $18.63

$9.94 ฿331

87.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.57 ฿85.7

124.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.06 ฿35.18

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$1.61 ฿53.7

263.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.52 ฿50.6

211.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.27 ฿42.30

133.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.07 ฿35.51

158.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.72 ฿23.98

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.51 ฿16.94

350.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 $14.15

$4.19 ฿140

237.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.34 $15.34

$17.87 ฿595

-14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.69 ฿56.4

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.84 ฿94.5

32.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.93 ฿30.82

116.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 $75.6

$53.9 ฿1,794

40.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.23 ฿41.11

47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.58 ฿19.20

131.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.97 $23.97

$2.42 ฿80.7

890.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.41 ฿47.03

-27.66%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

69.99%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-5.47%

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

$211 $211

$63.7 ฿2,120

231.46%

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

$66.4 $66.4

$12.85 ฿428

416.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 $88.7

$20.22 ฿673

338.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 $51.4

$38.74 ฿1,290

32.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.67 $46.67

$3.97 ฿132

1075.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 $15.26

$6.74 ฿224

126.41%

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

$1,983 $1,983

$778 ฿25.9K

154.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K $34.8K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

138.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$54.3 ฿1,808

-1.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 $63.1

$25.45 ฿847

147.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$94.3 ฿3,141

-3.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$73.4 ฿2,446

52.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 $1,685

$490 ฿16.3K

244.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 $1,052

$289 ฿9,634

263.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$894 ฿29.8K

148.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

$517 ฿17.2K

270.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,498 $2,498

$1,955 ฿65.1K

27.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,297 $2,297

$1,477 ฿49.2K

55.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,468 $4,468

$602 ฿20.0K

642.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,685 in Baltimore, MD and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 642% 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: $92.0 in Baltimore, MD vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 vs $240 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 160% 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 642% 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: $1,685 in Baltimore, MD versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% 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 $20.00 versus $92.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,460 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 $947 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 160% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.