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: $2,743 in Berwyn, IL versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,970 in Berwyn, IL versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,198 in Berwyn, IL versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Berwyn, IL is roughly 222% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Berwyn, IL is 105% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.93 $19.93

$1.96 ฿63.6

916.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$18.81 ฿611

324.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$7.92 ฿258

28.54%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$1.91 ฿62.2

189.53%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$0.84 ฿27.25

264.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.35 ฿11.44

511.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.21 ฿71.7

132.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.80 ฿124

115.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.64 ฿53.2

-34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.62 ฿52.8

148.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$1.18 ฿38.40

369.49%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.01 ฿65.4

115.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 $14.46

$15.89 ฿517

-9.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$3.01 ฿98.0

345.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 $19.12

$10.77 ฿350

77.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$2.61 ฿85.0

122.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.22 ฿39.65

40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.70 ฿55.4

167.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$1.58 ฿51.2

215.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.32 ฿42.89

84.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.17 ฿38.01

131.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.67 ฿21.85

274.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$0.56 ฿18.21

366.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 $14.74

$4.53 ฿147

225.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.35 $15.35

$18.20 ฿592

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.83 ฿59.6

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.23 ฿105

15.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.89 ฿28.83

122.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

$19.38 ฿630

292.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.35 ฿43.95

103.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.35 ฿43.79

1.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.96 $20.96

$8.25 ฿268

154.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.27 ฿41.40

-31.50%

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

$31.4K $31.4K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

48.31%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

18.07%

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

$184 $184

$70.2 ฿2,281

162.55%

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

$47.58 $47.58

$13.77 ฿448

245.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 $66.6

$17.60 ฿572

278.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.55 $43.55

$41.57 ฿1,352

4.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$5.78 ฿188

161.76%

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

$1,823 $1,823

$306 ฿9,953

495.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

61.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 $55.9

$54.4 ฿1,768

2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.08 $46.08

$26.14 ฿850

76.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 $94.7

$84.5 ฿2,748

12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$69.4 ฿2,257

80.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 $1,634

$424 ฿13.8K

285.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$238 ฿7,743

457.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,666 $2,666

$825 ฿26.8K

223.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 $2,263

$515 ฿16.7K

339.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,505 $2,505

$2,049 ฿66.6K

22.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 $2,287

$1,523 ฿49.5K

50.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,950 $3,950

$635 ฿20.6K

521.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

31.00%

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

Last update for Berwyn, IL: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,634 in Berwyn, IL and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Berwyn, IL pays 522% 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: $80.0 in Berwyn, IL vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $243 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, Getting Around. The 222% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Berwyn, IL pays 522% 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: $1,634 in Berwyn, IL versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,823 in Berwyn, IL versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Berwyn, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,743 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 222% less than in Berwyn, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.