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: $2,498 in Beaufort, SC versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,589 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,679 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beaufort, SC is roughly 196% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beaufort, SC is 86% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 $18.72

$1.95 ฿62.8

860.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.2 $88.2

$18.43 ฿594

378.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$7.50 ฿241

62.13%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$1.93 ฿62.3

145.60%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$0.78 ฿25.08

207.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.32 ฿10.42

531.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.15 ฿69.2

75.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.71 ฿120

9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.71 ฿55.2

-40.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.56 ฿50.3

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.18 ฿38.06

162.71%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$1.98 ฿63.9

106.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$16.04 ฿517

-44.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.17 ฿102

89.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$10.94 ฿353

-1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.63 ฿84.7

70.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.17 ฿37.61

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.65 ฿53.0

92.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.54 ฿49.51

25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.38 ฿44.34

78.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.17 ฿37.54

82.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.66 ฿21.25

207.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.51 ฿16.55

413.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.09 $8.09

$4.52 ฿146

78.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$18.32 ฿590

-19.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.80 ฿57.9

9.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.18 ฿102

4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.90 ฿28.97

126.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.41 ฿45.50

178.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.31 ฿42.15

87.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.73 $24.73

$8.09 ฿261

205.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.28 ฿41.08

-33.59%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

23.49%

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

$20.8K $20.8K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

-4.28%

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

$92.7 $92.7

$69.2 ฿2,230

34.02%

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

$43.86 $43.86

$13.97 ฿450

213.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$17.95 ฿578

237.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.23 $25.23

$42.31 ฿1,363

-40.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 $9.85

$5.92 ฿191

66.39%

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

$1,298 $1,298

$299 ฿9,640

333.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K $11.2K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-24.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$56.2 ฿1,810

-0.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.60 $45.60

$26.94 ฿868

69.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$84.9 ฿2,735

3.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 $87.5

$71.8 ฿2,314

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$435 ฿14.0K

274.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$240 ฿7,727

500.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,838 $2,838

$798 ฿25.7K

255.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$498 ฿16.1K

364.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,645 $3,645

$1,995 ฿64.3K

82.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,668 $3,668

$1,532 ฿49.4K

139.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,827 $3,827

$628 ฿20.2K

509.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

30.60%

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

Last update for Beaufort, SC: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Beaufort, SC and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beaufort, SC pays 509% 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: $88 in Beaufort, SC vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 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

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 196% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beaufort, SC pays 509% more on average, 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: $1,627 in Beaufort, SC versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Beaufort, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,498 per month in Beaufort, SC versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 196% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,498 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 196% less than in Beaufort, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.