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: $2,448 in Big Rapids, MI versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,576 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,704 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 190% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Big Rapids, MI is 83% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 $15.69

$1.95 ฿62.8

704.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$18.43 ฿594

303.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.50 ฿241

5.60%

Cappuccino

$4.63 $4.63

$1.93 ฿62.3

139.90%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$0.78 ฿25.08

230.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.32 ฿10.42

562.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$2.15 ฿69.2

184.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.71 ฿120

63.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.71 ฿55.2

-52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.56 ฿50.3

105.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.18 ฿38.06

83.90%

Eggs

$2.62 $2.62

$1.98 ฿63.9

32.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$16.04 ฿517

3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$3.17 ฿102

212.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$10.94 ฿353

27.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.63 ฿84.7

30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.17 ฿37.61

-47.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.65 ฿53.0

176.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$1.54 ฿49.51

238.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.38 ฿44.34

65.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.17 ฿37.54

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.66 ฿21.25

156.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.51 ฿16.55

331.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 $9.85

$4.52 ฿146

117.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 $13.52

$18.32 ฿590

-26.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.80 ฿57.9

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.18 ฿102

-8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.90 ฿28.97

123.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.78 $23.78

$19.00 ฿612

25.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.41 ฿45.50

117.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.31 ฿42.15

15.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.11 $26.11

$8.09 ฿261

222.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.28 ฿41.08

-29.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

22.65%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

9.21%

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

$160 $160

$69.2 ฿2,230

131.72%

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

$48.09 $48.09

$13.97 ฿450

244.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$17.95 ฿578

276.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 $43.15

$42.31 ฿1,363

1.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$12.42 $12.42

$5.92 ฿191

109.80%

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

$1,900 $1,900

$299 ฿9,640

535.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

34.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$56.2 ฿1,810

-2.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 $35.67

$26.94 ฿868

32.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$84.9 ฿2,735

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$71.8 ฿2,314

42.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$435 ฿14.0K

264.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 $1,339

$240 ฿7,727

458.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$798 ฿25.7K

229.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,265 $2,265

$498 ฿16.1K

354.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$1,995 ฿64.3K

18.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 $2,379

$1,532 ฿49.4K

55.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,584 in Big Rapids, MI and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Big Rapids, MI vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 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

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 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,673 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,267 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 Big Rapids, MI versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% 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 $18.00 versus $74.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,448 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 190% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.