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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,624 in Brentwood, CA versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,918 in Brentwood, CA versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,211 in Brentwood, CA versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Brentwood, CA is roughly 181% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brentwood, CA is 92% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.95 $24.95

$2.08 ฿69.3

1099.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 $112

$19.61 ฿653

472.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$5.67 ฿189

159.44%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$1.81 ฿60.1

220.44%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$0.77 ฿25.58

294.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.35 ฿11.49

594.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.03 $9.03

$2.21 ฿73.7

308.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$3.79 ฿126

114.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.05 ฿68.2

-38.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.51 ฿50.4

179.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.40 ฿46.57

247.86%

Eggs

$5.35 $5.35

$2.26 ฿75.2

136.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.00 $25.00

$16.19 ฿539

54.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 $11.96

$2.90 ฿96.4

312.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 $13.16

$9.42 ฿314

39.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$2.68 ฿89.2

105.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.09 ฿36.28

185.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.62 ฿53.8

187.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$1.46 ฿48.61

292.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.28 ฿42.54

164.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.06 ฿35.21

275.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.72 ฿23.88

322.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.53 ฿17.51

415.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.63 $7.63

$4.23 ฿141

80.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 $12.78

$18.29 ฿609

-30.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.63 ฿54.3

31.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.90 ฿96.6

-11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.88 ฿29.24

134.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.17 ฿39.04

247.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.58 ฿19.25

191.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$2.39 ฿79.4

1134.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.45 ฿48.28

0.69%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

43.60%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

1.56%

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

$139 $139

$63.7 ฿2,119

118.41%

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

$38.65 $38.65

$12.89 ฿429

199.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 $63.0

$20.52 ฿683

206.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 $41.46

$39.02 ฿1,299

6.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$17.94 $17.94

$6.58 ฿219

172.64%

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

$1,602 $1,602

$784 ฿26.1K

104.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

60.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 $51.0

$55.1 ฿1,835

-7.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 $40.11

$24.74 ฿824

62.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 $75.5

$94.1 ฿3,133

-19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 $59.3

$74.0 ฿2,462

-19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$490 ฿16.3K

218.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 $1,278

$288 ฿9,594

343.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,467 $2,467

$891 ฿29.7K

176.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 $2,159

$521 ฿17.3K

314.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

$1,974 ฿65.7K

39.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,367 $2,367

$1,444 ฿48.1K

63.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

5.57

12.21%

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

Last update for Brentwood, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,561 in Brentwood, CA and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $112 in Brentwood, CA vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 vs $241 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

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

Brentwood, CA and Chiang Mai differ by about 181% in total monthly costs ($2,624 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,936 in Brentwood, CA and $1,398 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: $1,561 in Brentwood, CA versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Brentwood, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,624 per month in Brentwood, CA versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 181% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $2,624 in Brentwood, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Brentwood, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Brentwood, 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 181% less than in Brentwood, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.