Cost of Living Comparison Between Berwyn, IL and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Berwyn, IL and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,543 in Berwyn, IL versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,772 in Berwyn, IL versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,001 in Berwyn, IL versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Berwyn, IL is roughly 168% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Berwyn, IL is 84% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.18 $20.18

$2.10 ฿69.3

860.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 $69.4

$19.84 ฿656

249.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$5.79 ฿191

70.81%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$1.83 ฿60.4

173.22%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$0.78 ฿25.61

237.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.31 ฿10.37

551.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.34 ฿77.2

158.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 $7.46

$3.70 ฿122

101.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.03 ฿67.1

-59.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.60 ฿52.7

105.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$1.42 ฿46.75

271.13%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$2.18 ฿71.9

114.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$15.91 ฿526

-35.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$3.07 ฿102

354.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.54 $16.54

$9.87 ฿326

67.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.63 ฿86.8

93.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.10 ฿36.19

38.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.63 ฿53.8

157.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.53 ฿50.6

234.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.24 ฿41.13

101.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.13 ฿37.37

123.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.74 ฿24.38

197.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.50 ฿16.48

374.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.86 $10.86

$4.28 ฿141

153.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$17.97 ฿594

-17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.70 ฿56.1

18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.90 ฿95.7

16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.94 ฿31.13

104.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.23 ฿40.76

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.53 ฿17.66

171.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.96 $20.96

$2.40 ฿79.3

773.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.44 ฿47.55

-15.97%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

68.43%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-8.53%

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

$191 $191

$64.9 ฿2,145

193.98%

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

$67.4 $67.4

$13.35 ฿441

404.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$20.83 ฿688

206.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.60 $39.60

$40.42 ฿1,336

-2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$14.43 $14.43

$6.71 ฿222

115.05%

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

$1,561 $1,561

$787 ฿26.0K

98.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

63.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$56.2 ฿1,858

-4.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.35 $45.35

$24.95 ฿824

81.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 $94.0

$92.7 ฿3,063

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$75.1 ฿2,482

54.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$484 ฿16.0K

180.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 $1,221

$287 ฿9,491

324.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 $2,534

$910 ฿30.1K

178.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 $2,156

$531 ฿17.5K

306.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,601 $2,601

$1,980 ฿65.4K

31.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 $2,317

$1,451 ฿47.9K

59.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

5.57

9.87%

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

Last update for Berwyn, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Berwyn, IL and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Berwyn, IL vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $242 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

Berwyn, IL 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 168% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,814 in Berwyn, IL and $1,426 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: $1,358 in Berwyn, IL versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,561 in Berwyn, IL versus $787 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $69.0 in Berwyn, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,543 in Berwyn, IL, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Berwyn, IL. 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 Berwyn, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Berwyn, IL 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 168% less than in Berwyn, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.