Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Girardeau, MO and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Girardeau, MO and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,923 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,002 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,081 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cape Girardeau, MO is roughly 126% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cape Girardeau, MO is 44% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 $15.01

$2.04 ฿68.4

635.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.33 $49.33

$18.71 ฿626

163.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 $6.81

$7.86 ฿263

-13.36%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$2.03 ฿67.9

154.68%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$0.80 ฿26.71

178.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.35 ฿11.71

391.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.14 ฿71.7

52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.67 ฿123

22.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.73 ฿57.8

-58.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.57 ฿52.5

43.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.20 ฿40.10

169.17%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$1.97 ฿66.0

105.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 $10.66

$16.23 ฿543

-34.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$3.06 ฿102

183.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$10.80 ฿361

2.41%

Apples (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$2.77 ฿92.6

214.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.17 ฿39.05

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.76 $7.76

$1.71 ฿57.1

353.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$1.59 ฿53.3

455.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.39 ฿46.63

130.94%

Onion (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$1.16 ฿38.67

486.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.66 ฿22.11

342.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.52 ฿17.35

328.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 $7.42

$4.65 ฿155

59.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.78 ฿595

-16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.79 ฿59.8

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.34 ฿112

20.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.91 ฿30.35

126.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.41 ฿47.17

144.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.34 ฿44.82

17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.66 $28.66

$8.11 ฿271

253.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.23 ฿41.27

-33.33%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

28.13%

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

$20.2K $20.2K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-7.61%

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

$152 $152

$71.3 ฿2,386

113.25%

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

$43.09 $43.09

$14.01 ฿469

207.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$17.93 ฿600

338.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.77 $19.77

$40.82 ฿1,365

-51.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$13.52 $13.52

$5.72 ฿191

136.36%

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

$753 $753

$308 ฿10.3K

144.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

58.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.12 $39.12

$55.8 ฿1,865

-29.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 $40.05

$26.04 ฿871

53.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$84.8 ฿2,837

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 $40.05

$71.0 ฿2,375

-43.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 $782

$423 ฿14.2K

84.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 $826

$242 ฿8,110

240.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$797 ฿26.7K

74.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 $1,664

$507 ฿17.0K

228.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,431 $1,431

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-25.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 $1,423

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-2.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,409 $2,409

$595 ฿19.9K

304.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

29.00%

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

Last update for Cape Girardeau, MO: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $782 in Cape Girardeau, MO and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cape Girardeau, MO pays 305% 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: $49.00 in Cape Girardeau, MO vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 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

Cape Girardeau, MO vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 305% higher in Cape Girardeau, MO, 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: $782 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Cape Girardeau, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,923 per month in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,923 in Cape Girardeau, MO, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cape Girardeau, MO. 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 Cape Girardeau, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cape Girardeau, MO 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 126% less than in Cape Girardeau, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.