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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Brentwood, TN versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,911 in Brentwood, TN versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,147 in Brentwood, TN versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Brentwood, TN is roughly 217% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brentwood, TN is 100% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.03 $18.03
$1.95 āļŋ62.8
824.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.9 $79.9
$18.43 āļŋ594
333.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.94 $9.94
$7.50 āļŋ241
32.53%
Cappuccino
$5.92 $5.92
$1.93 āļŋ62.3
206.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.78 āļŋ25.08
220.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$0.32 āļŋ10.42
640.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.41 $6.41
$2.15 āļŋ69.2
198.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.70 $6.70
$3.71 āļŋ120
80.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.71 āļŋ55.2
-34.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.96 $3.96
$1.56 āļŋ50.3
153.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.85 $3.85
$1.18 āļŋ38.06
226.27%
Eggs
$3.80 $3.80
$1.98 āļŋ63.9
91.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.69 $11.69
$16.04 āļŋ517
-27.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.41 $15.41
$3.17 āļŋ102
386.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.34 $16.34
$10.94 āļŋ353
49.36%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.63 āļŋ84.7
64.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.17 āļŋ37.61
21.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.65 āļŋ53.0
56.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.45 $5.45
$1.54 āļŋ49.51
253.90%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.38 āļŋ44.34
63.77%
Onion (1kg)
$3.94 $3.94
$1.17 āļŋ37.54
236.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.30 $2.30
$0.66 āļŋ21.25
248.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$0.51 āļŋ16.55
376.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.94 $8.94
$4.52 āļŋ146
97.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$18.32 āļŋ590
-17.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.80 āļŋ57.9
1.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 $2.89
$3.18 āļŋ102
-9.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$0.90 āļŋ28.97
118.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.00 āļŋ612
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.89 $4.89
$1.41 āļŋ45.50
246.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.31 āļŋ42.15
22.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.59 $20.59
$8.09 āļŋ261
154.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.28 āļŋ41.08
-32.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K $29.8K
$21.3K āļŋ686.1K
40.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$21.7K āļŋ699.3K
19.82%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 $202
$69.2 āļŋ2,230
191.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.7 $69.7
$13.97 āļŋ450
398.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.8 $66.8
$17.95 āļŋ578
271.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.06 $43.06
$42.31 āļŋ1,363
1.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.66 āļŋ214
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.65 $14.65
$5.92 āļŋ191
147.47%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,113 $1,113
$299 āļŋ9,640
271.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.6K $20.6K
$14.8K āļŋ478.4K
38.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0 $60.0
$56.2 āļŋ1,810
6.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.80 $48.80
$26.94 āļŋ868
81.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 $108
$84.9 āļŋ2,735
26.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 $132
$71.8 āļŋ2,314
83.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,580 $1,580
$435 āļŋ14.0K
263.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 $1,355
$240 āļŋ7,727
465.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,650 $2,650
$798 āļŋ25.7K
232.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,228 $2,228
$498 āļŋ16.1K
347.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,668 $2,668
$1,995 āļŋ64.3K
33.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,405 $2,405
$1,532 āļŋ49.4K
57.00%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Brentwood, TN
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,127 $6,127
$628 āļŋ20.2K
875.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
5
31.80%

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

Last update for Brentwood, TN: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Brentwood, TN and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood, TN pays 875% 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: $80 in Brentwood, TN vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 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
Brentwood, TN vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Brentwood, TN and Chiang Mai?
Brentwood, TN and Chiang Mai differ by about 217% in total monthly costs ($2,675 vs $845 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Brentwood, TN or Chiang Mai?
Brentwood, TN pays 875% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Brentwood, TN and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,580 in Brentwood, TN versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Brentwood, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Brentwood, TN or Chiang Mai?
All in, you'll spend $2,675 per month in Brentwood, TN versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 217% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,675 in Brentwood, TN, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Brentwood, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Brentwood, TN and Chiang Mai?
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.
Is Brentwood, TN or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Brentwood, TN 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.
Where should expats move: Brentwood, TN or Chiang Mai?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 217% less than in Brentwood, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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