Cost of Living Comparison Between Brea, CA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Brea, CA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,563 in Brea, CA versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,186 in Brea, CA versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,809 in Brea, CA versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Brea, CA is roughly 201% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brea, CA is 91% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$1.96 ฿63.6

931.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.1 $84.1

$18.81 ฿611

347.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$7.92 ฿258

23.99%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$1.91 ฿62.2

166.49%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$0.84 ฿27.25

227.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.35 ฿11.44

465.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$2.21 ฿71.7

212.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$3.80 ฿124

87.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.64 ฿53.2

-34.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.62 ฿52.8

152.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.18 ฿38.40

286.44%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.01 ฿65.4

119.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$15.89 ฿517

-22.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$3.01 ฿98.0

285.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$10.77 ฿350

36.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.61 ฿85.0

28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.22 ฿39.65

50.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.70 ฿55.4

124.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$1.58 ฿51.2

237.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.32 ฿42.89

140.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.17 ฿38.01

163.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.67 ฿21.85

192.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.56 ฿18.21

276.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.53 ฿147

122.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$18.20 ฿592

-18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.83 ฿59.6

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.23 ฿105

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.89 ฿28.83

126.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.35 ฿43.95

194.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.35 ฿43.79

105.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.10 $32.10

$8.25 ฿268

289.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.27 ฿41.40

-1.57%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

17.05%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

17.78%

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

$204 $204

$70.2 ฿2,281

191.02%

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

$46.54 $46.54

$13.77 ฿448

237.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$17.60 ฿572

241.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 $42.38

$41.57 ฿1,352

1.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$5.78 ฿188

138.58%

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

$1,210 $1,210

$306 ฿9,953

295.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.2K $40.2K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

170.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 $70.1

$54.4 ฿1,768

28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.06 $34.06

$26.14 ฿850

30.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 $86.2

$84.5 ฿2,748

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$69.4 ฿2,257

83.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$424 ฿13.8K

281.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 $1,361

$238 ฿7,743

471.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 $2,820

$825 ฿26.8K

241.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,994 $2,994

$515 ฿16.7K

481.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,905 $5,905

$2,049 ฿66.6K

188.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,903 $5,903

$1,523 ฿49.5K

287.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,840 $9,840

$635 ฿20.6K

1449.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

31.60%

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

Last update for Brea, CA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,615 in Brea, CA and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 1449% 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: $84.0 in Brea, CA vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 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

Brea, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 201% lower than in Brea, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brea, CA pays 1449% 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: $1,615 in Brea, CA versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,210 in Brea, CA versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $84.0 in Brea, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,563 in Brea, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Brea, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brea, CA 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 201% less than in Brea, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.