Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Barnstable, MA versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,554 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,666 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barnstable, MA is roughly 189% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnstable, MA is 82% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 $20.40

$1.95 ฿62.8

946.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 $65.2

$18.43 ฿594

253.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$7.50 ฿241

31.07%

Cappuccino

$4.10 $4.10

$1.93 ฿62.3

112.44%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$0.78 ฿25.08

162.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.32 ฿10.42

443.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.15 ฿69.2

133.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 $6.66

$3.71 ฿120

79.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.71 ฿55.2

-43.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.56 ฿50.3

85.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.18 ฿38.06

258.47%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$1.98 ฿63.9

92.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$16.04 ฿517

-58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$3.17 ฿102

182.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$10.94 ฿353

-19.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.63 ฿84.7

46.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.17 ฿37.61

23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.65 ฿53.0

127.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.54 ฿49.51

134.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.38 ฿44.34

53.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.17 ฿37.54

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.66 ฿21.25

193.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$0.51 ฿16.55

227.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$4.52 ฿146

165.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 $12.85

$18.32 ฿590

-29.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.80 ฿57.9

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.18 ฿102

4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.90 ฿28.97

127.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.41 ฿45.50

108.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.31 ฿42.15

34.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$8.09 ฿261

265.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.28 ฿41.08

-32.81%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

63.78%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

12.27%

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

$100 $100

$69.2 ฿2,230

45.00%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$13.97 ฿450

276.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$17.95 ฿578

269.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 $43.29

$42.31 ฿1,363

2.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$14.10 $14.10

$5.92 ฿191

138.18%

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

$1,743 $1,743

$299 ฿9,640

482.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.0K $30.0K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

101.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.53 $47.53

$56.2 ฿1,810

-15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 $34.57

$26.94 ฿868

28.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$84.9 ฿2,735

2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 $157

$71.8 ฿2,314

119.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$435 ฿14.0K

262.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 $1,366

$240 ฿7,727

469.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 $2,642

$798 ฿25.7K

231.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 $2,186

$498 ฿16.1K

338.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,984 $2,984

$1,995 ฿64.3K

49.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,448 $2,448

$1,532 ฿49.4K

59.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

32.00%

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

Last update for Barnstable, MA: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Barnstable, MA and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65 in Barnstable, MA vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $244 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

Barnstable, MA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnstable, MA and Chiang Mai differ by about 189% in total monthly costs ($2,442 vs $845 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,663 in Barnstable, MA and $1,267 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,576 in Barnstable, MA versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Barnstable, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,442 per month in Barnstable, MA versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,442 in Barnstable, MA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai 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, Barnstable, MA 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 189% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.