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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Cartersville, GA versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,713 in Cartersville, GA versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,952 in Cartersville, GA versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cartersville, GA is roughly 187% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartersville, GA is 85% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$1.96 ฿65.9

731.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 $62.0

$18.35 ฿617

238.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$7.48 ฿252

33.02%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$2.02 ฿67.8

151.98%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$0.85 ฿28.52

174.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.36 ฿11.97

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.14 ฿71.9

123.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.59 ฿121

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.65 ฿55.5

-46.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.57 ฿52.7

109.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.19 ฿40.05

120.17%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$1.94 ฿65.1

59.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 $12.48

$16.19 ฿545

-22.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 $11.74

$2.99 ฿101

292.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 $15.41

$10.94 ฿368

40.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$2.71 ฿91.2

115.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.17 ฿39.27

26.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.69 ฿56.8

109.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.60 ฿54.0

182.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.38 ฿46.56

155.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.20 ฿40.47

84.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.67 ฿22.51

192.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.56 ฿18.74

178.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.64 ฿156

75.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.13 $14.13

$17.62 ฿593

-19.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.86 ฿62.6

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.30 ฿111

-0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.88 ฿29.70

132.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.92 $39.92

$19.34 ฿651

106.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 $5.04

$1.36 ฿45.92

270.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.34 ฿45.00

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 $17.67

$8.21 ฿276

115.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.22 ฿41.20

-35.25%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

64.96%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

1.75%

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

$181 $181

$70.7 ฿2,378

155.48%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$14.04 ฿472

261.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 $67.3

$17.49 ฿589

285.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 $42.36

$42.15 ฿1,418

0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 $9.27

$5.92 ฿199

56.59%

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

$997 $997

$309 ฿10.4K

223.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,253 $8,253

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-44.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.53 $32.53

$55.8 ฿1,876

-41.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 $34.53

$26.11 ฿879

32.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 $68.2

$83.0 ฿2,793

-17.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 $80.4

$70.5 ฿2,371

14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 $2,120

$432 ฿14.5K

390.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$239 ฿8,040

470.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,675 $2,675

$822 ฿27.7K

225.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 $2,501

$512 ฿17.2K

388.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 $1,764

$579 ฿19.5K

204.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Cartersville, GA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,120 in Cartersville, GA and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartersville, GA pays 205% 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: $62.0 in Cartersville, GA vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $243 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

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

Cartersville, GA and Chiang Mai differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($2,475 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 205% higher in Cartersville, GA, 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: $2,120 in Cartersville, GA versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 106% less than in Cartersville, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $997 in Cartersville, GA versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,475 in Cartersville, GA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cartersville, GA. 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, Cartersville, 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 187% less than in Cartersville, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.