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: $1,885 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,944 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,002 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cape Girardeau, MO is roughly 118% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cape Girardeau, MO is 41% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 $15.14

$1.94 ฿63.5

680.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 $49.36

$18.64 ฿609

164.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 $7.04

$7.82 ฿255

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$1.95 ฿63.8

168.21%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$0.85 ฿27.77

151.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.35 ฿11.58

405.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.13 ฿69.6

51.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.73 ฿122

17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.71 ฿56.0

-54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.63 ฿53.2

38.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.14 ฿37.15

193.86%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$1.93 ฿63.1

107.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$16.21 ฿530

-33.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$3.12 ฿102

175.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$10.90 ฿356

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$9.05 $9.05

$2.75 ฿90.0

229.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.80 $7.80

$1.62 ฿53.0

381.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$1.59 ฿51.8

447.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.40 ฿45.70

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$1.17 ฿38.17

488.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 $2.90

$0.66 ฿21.60

339.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.53 ฿17.22

318.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.69 $7.69

$4.69 ฿153

63.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$18.66 ฿609

-18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.80 ฿58.8

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.23 ฿106

23.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.90 ฿29.26

117.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.41 ฿45.91

143.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.29 ฿42.12

21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.21 $29.21

$7.84 ฿256

272.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.27 ฿41.58

-36.22%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

28.30%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-10.36%

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

$151 $151

$69.1 ฿2,256

118.75%

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

$43.93 $43.93

$14.08 ฿460

212.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$18.00 ฿588

336.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.95 $19.95

$41.06 ฿1,341

-51.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 $13.44

$5.92 ฿193

127.03%

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

$743 $743

$299 ฿9,766

148.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

58.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.30 $39.30

$54.7 ฿1,787

-28.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 $40.69

$26.77 ฿874

52.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 $86.6

$85.0 ฿2,776

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.86 $39.86

$70.6 ฿2,306

-43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$428 ฿14.0K

86.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$237 ฿7,752

239.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$801 ฿26.2K

74.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 $1,635

$515 ฿16.8K

217.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,462 $1,462

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-25.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 $1,432

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-2.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,487 $2,487

$617 ฿20.2K

302.85%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $798 in Cape Girardeau, MO and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cape Girardeau, MO pays 303% 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 $408 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

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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cape Girardeau, MO pays 303% 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: $798 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Cape Girardeau, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,885 per month in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,885 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 118% less than in Cape Girardeau, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.