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: $2,710 in Brentwood, TN versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Brentwood, TN versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,187 in Brentwood, TN versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Brentwood, TN is roughly 213% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brentwood, TN is 102% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$1.94 ฿63.8

811.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$18.64 ฿611

321.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$7.82 ฿256

30.43%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$1.95 ฿64.1

193.85%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$0.85 ฿27.90

190.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.35 ฿11.64

597.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 $6.31

$2.13 ฿69.9

196.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$3.73 ฿122

84.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.71 ฿56.2

-32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.63 ฿53.4

148.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.14 ฿37.32

242.11%

Eggs

$3.80 $3.80

$1.93 ฿63.4

96.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$16.21 ฿532

-27.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.81 $15.81

$3.12 ฿102

406.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 $16.01

$10.90 ฿357

46.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.75 ฿90.4

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.21 ฿39.70

14.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.62 ฿53.2

67.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$1.59 ฿52.1

227.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.40 ฿45.91

57.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.17 ฿38.34

240.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.66 ฿21.70

246.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.53 ฿17.30

362.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$4.69 ฿154

85.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 $15.87

$18.66 ฿612

-14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.80 ฿59.0

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.23 ฿106

-10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.90 ฿29.39

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.41 ฿46.13

260.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.29 ฿42.31

19.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.02 $21.02

$7.84 ฿257

168.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.27 ฿41.77

-34.65%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

42.66%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

16.60%

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

$202 $202

$69.1 ฿2,266

193.07%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$14.08 ฿462

393.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$18.00 ฿591

280.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.56 $42.56

$41.06 ฿1,347

3.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 $14.54

$5.92 ฿194

145.61%

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

$1,155 $1,155

$299 ฿9,811

286.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

41.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 $59.3

$54.7 ฿1,795

8.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.18 $48.18

$26.77 ฿878

79.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$85.0 ฿2,788

26.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$70.6 ฿2,316

88.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$428 ฿14.0K

270.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$237 ฿7,787

473.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,655 $2,655

$801 ฿26.3K

231.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 $2,250

$515 ฿16.9K

336.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 $2,713

$1,975 ฿64.8K

37.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,475 ฿48.4K

63.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,045 $6,045

$617 ฿20.3K

879.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

31.80%

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

Last update for Brentwood, TN: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,584 in Brentwood, TN and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood, TN pays 879% 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: $78.0 in Brentwood, TN vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 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

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

Brentwood, TN and Chiang Mai differ by about 213% in total monthly costs ($2,710 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brentwood, TN pays 879% 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: $1,584 in Brentwood, TN versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Brentwood, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,710 per month in Brentwood, TN versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 213% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,710 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.

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, 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.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Brentwood, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.