Cost of Living Comparison Between Beaufort, SC and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beaufort, SC and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,440 in Beaufort, SC versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,603 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beaufort, SC is roughly 158% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beaufort, SC is 78% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 $18.37

$2.08 ฿68.5

783.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$19.64 ฿646

406.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$5.65 ฿186

115.40%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$1.81 ฿59.3

188.40%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$0.71 ฿23.44

238.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.32 ฿10.38

506.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.24 ฿73.5

69.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.63 ฿119

8.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.96 ฿64.4

-51.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.50 ฿49.38

112.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.34 ฿43.92

185.82%

Eggs

$3.95 $3.95

$2.26 ฿74.4

74.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 $9.05

$16.26 ฿534

-44.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$2.95 ฿97.1

113.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 $11.04

$9.94 ฿327

11.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.57 ฿84.5

80.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.06 ฿34.72

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.61 ฿53.0

133.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.52 ฿49.96

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.27 ฿41.76

96.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.07 ฿35.05

101.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.72 ฿23.67

169.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.51 ฿16.72

392.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.19 ฿138

141.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$17.87 ฿587

-17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.69 ฿55.7

23.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.84 ฿93.2

9.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.23 ฿40.58

25.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.58 ฿18.96

103.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.91 $13.91

$2.42 ฿79.7

474.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.41 ฿46.42

-46.81%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

22.65%

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

$21.4K $21.4K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-21.88%

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

$91.8 $91.8

$63.7 ฿2,093

44.13%

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

$58.8 $58.8

$12.85 ฿423

357.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$20.22 ฿665

238.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.70 $24.70

$38.74 ฿1,274

-36.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$6.74 ฿221

48.22%

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

$1,301 $1,301

$778 ฿25.6K

67.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-19.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 $63.1

$54.3 ฿1,785

16.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.55 $48.55

$25.45 ฿836

90.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$94.3 ฿3,101

19.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$73.4 ฿2,414

109.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$490 ฿16.1K

210.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$289 ฿9,510

374.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 $2,836

$894 ฿29.4K

217.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 $2,107

$517 ฿17.0K

307.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,565 $3,565

$1,955 ฿64.3K

82.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,660 $3,660

$1,477 ฿48.5K

147.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,041 $4,041

$602 ฿19.8K

571.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

5.57

10.05%

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

Last update for Beaufort, SC: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,522 in Beaufort, SC and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beaufort, SC pays 571% 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: $99.0 in Beaufort, SC vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 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

Beaufort, SC vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 571% higher in Beaufort, SC, 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: $1,522 in Beaufort, SC versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Beaufort, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,440 per month in Beaufort, SC versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,440 in Beaufort, SC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Beaufort, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beaufort, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Beaufort, SC 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 158% less than in Beaufort, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.