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: $2,639 in Cartersville, GA versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,796 in Cartersville, GA versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,953 in Cartersville, GA versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cartersville, GA is roughly 179% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartersville, GA is 92% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 $16.88

$2.08 ฿68.6

711.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 $72.5

$19.64 ฿646

268.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$5.65 ฿186

94.16%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$1.81 ฿59.4

178.45%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$0.71 ฿23.45

228.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.32 ฿10.38

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.24 ฿73.6

107.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.63 ฿119

91.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.96 ฿64.4

-57.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.50 ฿49.39

96.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.34 ฿43.93

94.78%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$2.26 ฿74.5

28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 $9.30

$16.26 ฿535

-42.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 $9.47

$2.95 ฿97.1

221.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$9.94 ฿327

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.57 ฿84.6

46.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.06 ฿34.73

32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.61 ฿53.0

134.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.52 ฿49.97

100.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.27 ฿41.77

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.07 ฿35.06

111.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.72 ฿23.68

169.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.51 ฿16.72

260.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.27 $8.27

$4.19 ฿138

97.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 $14.09

$17.87 ฿587

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.84 ฿93.3

14.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 $5.02

$0.93 ฿30.43

439.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.27 $39.27

$53.9 ฿1,771

-27.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.23 ฿40.59

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.58 ฿18.96

225.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.25 $32.25

$2.42 ฿79.7

1232.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.41 ฿46.43

-34.04%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

63.61%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-15.45%

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

$168 $168

$63.7 ฿2,093

163.91%

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

$65.7 $65.7

$12.85 ฿423

411.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$20.22 ฿665

255.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$6.74 ฿222

78.64%

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

$1,550 $1,550

$778 ฿25.6K

99.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,292 $8,292

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-43.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.95 $32.95

$54.3 ฿1,785

-39.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.87 $34.87

$25.45 ฿837

37.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 $68.8

$94.3 ฿3,102

-27.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 $79.9

$73.4 ฿2,415

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$490 ฿16.1K

333.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$289 ฿9,512

428.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 $3,034

$894 ฿29.4K

239.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$517 ฿17.0K

375.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

5.57

11.85%

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

Last update for Cartersville, GA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,123 in Cartersville, GA and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Cartersville, GA vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $240 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 179% in total monthly costs ($2,639 vs $947 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,959 in Cartersville, GA and $1,421 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: $2,123 in Cartersville, GA versus $490 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 37% less than in Cartersville, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,550 in Cartersville, GA versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,639 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 179% less than in Cartersville, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.