Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,528 in Big Rapids, MI versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,681 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,835 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 192% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Big Rapids, MI is 89% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$1.94 ฿63.8

687.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$18.64 ฿611

308.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 $8.07

$7.82 ฿256

3.20%

Cappuccino

$4.68 $4.68

$1.95 ฿64.1

140.00%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$0.85 ฿27.90

210.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.35 ฿11.64

525.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.13 ฿69.9

180.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.73 ฿122

63.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.71 ฿56.2

-51.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.63 ฿53.4

106.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.14 ฿37.32

93.86%

Eggs

$2.71 $2.71

$1.93 ฿63.4

40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.51 $16.51

$16.21 ฿532

1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.01 $10.01

$3.12 ฿102

220.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$10.90 ฿357

28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.75 ฿90.4

22.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.21 ฿39.70

-49.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.62 ฿53.2

175.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$1.59 ฿52.1

215.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.40 ฿45.91

58.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.17 ฿38.34

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.66 ฿21.70

159.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.53 ฿17.30

307.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 $10.15

$4.69 ฿154

116.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 $13.23

$18.66 ฿612

-29.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.80 ฿59.0

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.23 ฿106

-13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.90 ฿29.39

121.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 $24.02

$19.21 ฿630

25.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.41 ฿46.13

117.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.29 ฿42.31

17.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 $26.76

$7.84 ฿257

241.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.27 ฿41.77

-30.71%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

22.79%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

9.85%

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

$156 $156

$69.1 ฿2,266

126.32%

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

$49.48 $49.48

$14.08 ฿462

251.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$18.00 ฿591

275.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 $42.50

$41.06 ฿1,347

3.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$12.26 $12.26

$5.92 ฿194

107.09%

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

$1,918 $1,918

$299 ฿9,811

541.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

33.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$54.7 ฿1,795

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.70 $35.70

$26.77 ฿878

33.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 $84.0

$85.0 ฿2,788

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$70.6 ฿2,316

40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 $1,571

$428 ฿14.0K

266.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$237 ฿7,787

473.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$801 ฿26.3K

227.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$515 ฿16.9K

337.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,882 $2,882

$1,975 ฿64.8K

45.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,412 $2,412

$1,475 ฿48.4K

63.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

13.60%

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

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,571 in Big Rapids, MI and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Big Rapids, MI vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $246 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

Big Rapids, MI 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 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,792 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,300 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: $1,571 in Big Rapids, MI versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Big Rapids, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $76.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,528 in Big Rapids, MI, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Big Rapids, MI. 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 Big Rapids, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Big Rapids, MI 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 192% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.