Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethel, AK and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,651 in Bethel, AK, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Bethel, AK
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Bethel, AK Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Bethel, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,651

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bethel, AK and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bethel, AK and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,651 in Bethel, AK versus $936 in Chiang Mai.

Bethel, AK $2,651
Chiang Mai $936

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,886 in Bethel, AK versus $1,457 in Chiang Mai.

Bethel, AK $3,886
Chiang Mai $1,457

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,121 in Bethel, AK versus $1,979 in Chiang Mai.

Bethel, AK $5,121
Chiang Mai $1,979

Living in Bethel, AK is roughly 183% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bethel, AK is 95% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$2.24 ฿75.6

802.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$19.00 ฿641

298.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$5.55 ฿187

106.67%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$1.67 ฿56.5

217.37%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$0.64 ฿21.53

328.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.31 ฿10.30

532.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.36 ฿79.5

155.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 $7.40

$3.66 ฿124

102.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.95 ฿65.7

-48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.44 ฿48.45

144.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.33 ฿45.01

221.05%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.28 ฿77.0

88.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

$16.45 ฿555

-25.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$2.78 ฿93.8

310.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$9.31 ฿314

86.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.35 ฿79.4

111.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.97 ฿32.78

69.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.60 ฿53.9

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.50 ฿50.6

207.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.28 ฿43.10

117.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.10 ฿37.17

168.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.71 ฿23.81

195.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.49 ฿16.36

367.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 $9.98

$4.14 ฿140

141.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$17.52 ฿591

-15.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.61 ฿54.5

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.78 ฿93.9

17.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.87 ฿29.29

124.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$54.1 ฿1,825

16.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.16 ฿39.03

170.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.53 ฿17.79

232.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.48 $29.48

$2.42 ฿81.7

1118.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.45 ฿48.87

-29.66%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$21.1K ฿710.3K

33.50%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.9K ฿908.7K

-2.86%

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

$196 $196

$62.2 ฿2,097

215.30%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$12.17 ฿410

383.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 $70.8

$20.12 ฿679

252.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.45 $42.45

$37.31 ฿1,259

13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$6.49 ฿219

115.10%

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

$1,425 $1,425

$736 ฿24.8K

93.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$14.8K ฿498.0K

59.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$53.4 ฿1,800

-0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 $41.55

$24.64 ฿831

68.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$91.5 ฿3,086

-2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$71.9 ฿2,426

60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$482 ฿16.3K

228.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$309 ฿10.4K

326.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,537 $2,537

$1,006 ฿33.9K

152.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$633 ฿21.4K

244.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$2,363 ฿79.7K

15.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$1,589 ฿53.6K

49.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.57

17.95%

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

Last update for Bethel, AK: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bethel, AK

$1.3K 49.7%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 76.5% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Bethel, AK

$397 15%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 41% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bethel, AK

$326 12.3%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 71% $231

Eating Out

Bethel, AK

$323 12.2%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 76% $246

Clothing & Footwear

Bethel, AK

$135 5.1%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 19.4% $26

Getting Around

Bethel, AK

$83 3.1%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 26% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Bethel, AK

$70 2.7%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 28.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,584 in Bethel, AK and $482 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Bethel, AK vs $19 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $234 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bethel, AK

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:12 4:12 AM

19:12 7:12 PM

15 h ahead of Bethel, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,300

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Bethel, AK Chiang Mai 8,680 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Bethel, AK
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bethel, AK vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,651 in Bethel, AK and $936 in Chiang Mai, so Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $3,976 in Bethel, AK and $1,403 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: $1,584 in Bethel, AK versus $482 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,651 per month in Bethel, AK versus $936 in Chiang Mai – Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 14% less than in Bethel, AK. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Bethel, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.