Cost of Living Comparison Between Calhoun, GA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Calhoun, GA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,590 in Calhoun, GA versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,763 in Calhoun, GA versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,936 in Calhoun, GA versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Calhoun, GA is roughly 173% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calhoun, GA is 88% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.73 $22.73

$2.10 ฿69.3

982.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 $68.8

$19.84 ฿656

246.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 $11.60

$5.79 ฿191

100.35%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$1.83 ฿60.4

158.47%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$0.78 ฿25.61

248.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.31 ฿10.37

525.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.34 ฿77.2

126.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 $7.22

$3.70 ฿122

95.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.03 ฿67.1

-58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.60 ฿52.7

98.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.42 ฿46.75

202.82%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$2.18 ฿71.9

103.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 $12.30

$15.91 ฿526

-22.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.07 ฿102

129.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$9.87 ฿326

72.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.63 ฿86.8

91.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.10 ฿36.19

49.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.63 ฿53.8

177.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.53 ฿50.6

201.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.24 ฿41.13

121.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.13 ฿37.37

171.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.74 ฿24.38

185.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.50 ฿16.48

342.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 $10.23

$4.28 ฿141

139.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$17.97 ฿594

-17.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.70 ฿56.1

15.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.90 ฿95.7

11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.94 ฿31.13

115.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.23 ฿40.76

136.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.53 ฿17.66

239.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.65 $25.65

$2.40 ฿79.3

968.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.44 ฿47.55

-40.97%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

71.23%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-11.94%

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

$231 $231

$64.9 ฿2,145

255.03%

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

$60.0 $60.0

$13.35 ฿441

349.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$20.83 ฿688

233.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.76 $35.76

$40.42 ฿1,336

-11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 $12.45

$6.71 ฿222

85.54%

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

$590 $590

$787 ฿26.0K

-25.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

48.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$56.2 ฿1,858

-5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.57 $47.57

$24.95 ฿824

90.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$92.7 ฿3,063

-6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$75.1 ฿2,482

54.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 $1,534

$484 ฿16.0K

217.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$287 ฿9,491

398.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 $2,636

$910 ฿30.1K

189.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 $1,854

$531 ฿17.5K

249.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,108 $3,108

$1,980 ฿65.4K

56.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,410 $2,410

$1,451 ฿47.9K

66.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

5.57

9.87%

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

Last update for Calhoun, GA: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Calhoun, GA and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Calhoun, GA vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 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

Calhoun, GA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 173% lower than in Calhoun, GA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,885 in Calhoun, GA and $1,426 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: $1,534 in Calhoun, GA versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $590 in Calhoun, GA versus $787 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 $20.00 versus $69.0 in Calhoun, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,590 in Calhoun, GA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Calhoun, GA. 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 $950 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Calhoun, GA 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 173% less than in Calhoun, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.