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: $2,732 in Berwyn, IL versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,054 in Berwyn, IL versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,376 in Berwyn, IL versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Berwyn, IL is roughly 220% more expensive than in 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

$19.60 $19.60

$2.04 ฿68.4

860.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$18.71 ฿626

324.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$7.86 ฿263

29.77%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$2.03 ฿67.9

186.21%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$0.80 ฿26.71

286.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.35 ฿11.71

542.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.14 ฿71.7

137.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.67 ฿123

123.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.73 ฿57.8

-38.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.57 ฿52.5

152.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$1.20 ฿40.10

365.83%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$1.97 ฿66.0

112.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.11 $14.11

$16.23 ฿543

-13.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$3.06 ฿102

324.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 $19.08

$10.80 ฿361

76.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$2.77 ฿92.6

107.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.17 ฿39.05

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.71 ฿57.1

162.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$1.59 ฿53.3

202.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.39 ฿46.63

84.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.16 ฿38.67

136.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.66 ฿22.11

277.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.52 ฿17.35

403.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.75 $14.75

$4.65 ฿155

217.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$17.78 ฿595

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.79 ฿59.8

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.34 ฿112

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.91 ฿30.35

121.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 $74.7

$18.64 ฿624

300.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.41 ฿47.17

93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.34 ฿44.82

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.36 $21.36

$8.11 ฿271

163.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.23 ฿41.27

-34.96%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

51.70%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

19.15%

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

$183 $183

$71.3 ฿2,386

157.24%

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

$48.09 $48.09

$14.01 ฿469

243.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$17.93 ฿600

273.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$40.82 ฿1,365

4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$5.72 ฿191

161.19%

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

$1,833 $1,833

$308 ฿10.3K

494.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

64.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$55.8 ฿1,865

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.42 $45.42

$26.04 ฿871

74.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 $97.4

$84.8 ฿2,837

14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$71.0 ฿2,375

77.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$423 ฿14.2K

277.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$242 ฿8,110

462.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$797 ฿26.7K

227.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$507 ฿17.0K

342.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 $2,648

$1,918 ฿64.2K

38.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,471 $2,471

$1,464 ฿49.0K

68.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,596 in Berwyn, IL and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Berwyn, IL vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 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

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 220% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,097 in Berwyn, IL and $1,279 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: $1,596 in Berwyn, IL versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,833 in Berwyn, IL versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Berwyn, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,732 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 220% less than in Berwyn, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.