Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerritos, CA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerritos, CA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,673 per month in Cerritos, CA vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Cerritos, CA vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,069 per month in Cerritos, CA vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cerritos, CA costs about 216% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cerritos, CA sits 99% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.60 $21.60

$1.95 ฿62.8

1007.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$18.43 ฿594

363.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 $13.76

$7.50 ฿241

83.47%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$1.93 ฿62.3

154.40%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$0.78 ฿25.08

258.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.32 ฿10.42

609.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.58 $8.58

$2.15 ฿69.2

299.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.20 $10.20

$3.71 ฿120

174.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.71 ฿55.2

-33.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.56 ฿50.3

160.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.18 ฿38.06

250.00%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$1.98 ฿63.9

261.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$16.04 ฿517

-32.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$3.17 ฿102

178.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 $14.55

$10.94 ฿353

33.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.63 ฿84.7

32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.17 ฿37.61

123.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.65 ฿53.0

150.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$1.54 ฿49.51

259.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.38 ฿44.34

121.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.17 ฿37.54

111.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.66 ฿21.25

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.51 ฿16.55

319.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$4.52 ฿146

142.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 $15.91

$18.32 ฿590

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.80 ฿57.9

38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.18 ฿102

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.90 ฿28.97

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.41 ฿45.50

114.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.31 ฿42.15

29.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 $28.99

$8.09 ฿261

258.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.28 ฿41.08

-2.34%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

13.32%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

14.28%

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

$180 $180

$69.2 ฿2,230

159.83%

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

$66.1 $66.1

$13.97 ฿450

373.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$17.95 ฿578

238.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.44 $43.44

$42.31 ฿1,363

2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$18.09 $18.09

$5.92 ฿191

205.57%

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

$1,191 $1,191

$299 ฿9,640

298.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

60.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 $60.2

$56.2 ฿1,810

7.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 $34.98

$26.94 ฿868

29.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$84.9 ฿2,735

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 $84.2

$71.8 ฿2,314

17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$435 ฿14.0K

352.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$240 ฿7,727

474.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$798 ฿25.7K

236.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 $2,250

$498 ฿16.1K

351.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,684 $2,684

$1,995 ฿64.3K

34.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,532 ฿49.4K

57.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

29.80%

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

Last update for Cerritos, CA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,970 in Cerritos, CA versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Cerritos, CA versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cerritos, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,673 in Cerritos, CA, $845 in Chiang Mai – roughly 216% apart. Cerritos, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,009 per month in Cerritos, CA and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Cerritos, CA and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Cerritos, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Cerritos, CA at $2,673. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cerritos, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cerritos, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $845 in Chiang Mai to $2,673 in Cerritos, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cerritos, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.