😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,400 in Cedar City, UT versus $861 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,768 in Cedar City, UT versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,137 in Cedar City, UT versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Cedar City, UT is roughly 179% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Cedar City, UT is 80% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.58$23.58
$1.96฿65.8
1103.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.3$79.3
$18.35฿617
332.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.74$14.74
$7.48฿252
97.06%
Cappuccino
$6.42$6.42
$2.02฿67.8
217.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68$4.68
$0.85฿28.50
450.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08$3.08
$0.36฿11.96
755.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.15$6.15
$2.14฿71.8
187.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.12$11.12
$3.59฿121
209.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.21$1.21
$1.65฿55.5
-26.67%
White Bread(500g)
$4.23$4.23
$1.57฿52.7
169.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.62$3.62
$1.19฿40.02
204.20%
Eggs
$5.18$5.18
$1.94฿65.1
167.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.64$18.64
$16.19฿544
15.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.84$15.84
$2.99฿101
429.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.69$18.69
$10.94฿368
70.84%
Apples(1kg)
$8.85$8.85
$2.71฿91.2
226.57%
Banana(1kg)
$3.03$3.03
$1.17฿39.25
158.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$8.11$8.11
$1.69฿56.7
379.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.19$3.19
$1.60฿54.0
99.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.87$1.87
$1.38฿46.54
35.51%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18$2.18
$1.20฿40.45
81.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.47$2.47
$0.67฿22.50
268.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.73$2.73
$0.56฿18.73
387.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.85$12.85
$4.64฿156
176.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.81$19.81
$17.62฿593
12.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70$1.70
$1.86฿62.5
-8.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.63$5.63
$3.30฿111
70.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.30$3.30
$0.88฿29.68
275.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.02$40.02
$19.34฿650
106.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.51$3.51
$1.36฿45.90
158.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$1.34฿44.98
18.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.76$28.76
$8.21฿276
250.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.90$0.90
$1.22฿41.18
-26.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K$36.8K
$21.4K฿718.1K
72.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K$24.9K
$22.5K฿757.7K
10.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$172$172
$70.7฿2,376
143.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.82$32.82
$14.04฿472
133.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.3$57.3
$17.49฿588
227.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.86$42.86
$42.15฿1,417
1.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.88฿231
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.45$11.45
$5.92฿199
93.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,283$1,283
$309฿10.4K
315.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.7K$23.7K
$14.9K฿500.4K
59.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7$56.7
$55.8฿1,875
1.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9$50.9
$26.11฿878
95.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.2$98.2
$83.0฿2,792
18.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153$153
$70.5฿2,369
116.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,072$1,072
$432฿14.5K
148.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$941$941
$239฿8,035
293.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,195$2,195
$822฿27.7K
166.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,882$1,882
$512฿17.2K
267.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,652$2,652
$1,915฿64.4K
38.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,715$2,715
$1,467฿49.3K
85.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cedar City, UT
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,531$3,531
$579฿19.5K
509.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7
5
40.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cedar City, UT: July 13, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Cedar City, UT and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cedar City, UT pays 509% 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: $79.0 in Cedar City, UT vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 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
Cedar City, UT vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Cedar City, UT?
Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 179% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cedar City, UT or Chiang Mai?
Average pay runs 509% higher in Cedar City, UT, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cedar City, UT and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,072 in Cedar City, UT versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 107% less than in Cedar City, UT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,283 in Cedar City, UT versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Cedar City, UT or in Chiang Mai?
At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,400 in Cedar City, UT, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cedar City, UT. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cedar City, UT or Chiang Mai more family-friendly?
For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cedar City, UT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cedar City, UT or Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, Cedar City, UT 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Cedar City, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Cedar City, UT vs other spots: cost of living compared