Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabot, AR and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabot, AR and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,541 in Cabot, AR versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,696 in Cabot, AR versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,851 in Cabot, AR versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cabot, AR is roughly 200% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cabot, AR is 90% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 $12.11

$2.03 ฿68.5

496.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$18.71 ฿631

297.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 $12.56

$7.84 ฿265

60.20%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$1.93 ฿65.0

160.10%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$0.83 ฿28.05

209.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.35 ฿11.82

457.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.22 ฿74.9

166.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.79 ฿128

88.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.65 ฿55.5

-41.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.55 ฿52.4

125.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.18 ฿39.86

124.58%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.01 ฿68.0

113.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$16.16 ฿545

-24.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 $11.53

$3.03 ฿102

280.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$10.84 ฿366

41.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.68 ฿90.4

88.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.22 ฿41.21

32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.63 ฿54.9

153.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.53 ฿51.6

188.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.34 ฿45.18

114.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.21 ฿40.93

138.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.70 ฿23.67

202.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.53 ฿17.73

309.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.75 $9.75

$4.69 ฿158

107.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.92 $16.92

$17.71 ฿598

-4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.85 ฿62.3

-2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.21 ฿108

3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.89 ฿30.07

121.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.41 ฿47.48

152.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.29 ฿43.59

28.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.71 $28.71

$7.79 ฿263

268.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.29 ฿43.67

-34.11%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

36.89%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

17.98%

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

$190 $190

$70.0 ฿2,362

171.33%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$14.19 ฿479

276.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$17.42 ฿588

283.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.30 $42.30

$41.64 ฿1,405

1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 $13.33

$5.78 ฿195

130.62%

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

$1,278 $1,278

$300 ฿10.1K

326.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

60.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$55.4 ฿1,869

-8.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 $39.45

$26.31 ฿888

49.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$84.8 ฿2,863

2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$70.5 ฿2,379

61.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$425 ฿14.4K

280.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$235 ฿7,933

481.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$802 ฿27.1K

223.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$516 ฿17.4K

332.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,692 $2,692

$1,926 ฿65.0K

39.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$1,451 ฿49.0K

61.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,037 $3,037

$586 ฿19.8K

418.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

30.20%

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

Last update for Cabot, AR: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,617 in Cabot, AR and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cabot, AR pays 418% 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: $74.0 in Cabot, AR vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $242 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

Cabot, AR 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 200% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 418% higher in Cabot, AR, 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: $1,617 in Cabot, AR versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,278 in Cabot, AR versus $300 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 $74.0 in Cabot, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $847 in Chiang Mai versus $2,541 in Cabot, AR, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cabot, AR. 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 Cabot, AR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cabot, AR 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 200% less than in Cabot, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.