Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bainbridge Island, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,787 in Bainbridge Island, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Bainbridge Island, WA
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Bainbridge Island, WA Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Bainbridge Island, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,787

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bainbridge Island, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Bainbridge Island, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,787 in Bainbridge Island, WA, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Bainbridge Island, WA $2,787

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,891 in Bainbridge Island, WA, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Bainbridge Island, WA $4,891

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,994 in Bainbridge Island, WA, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Bainbridge Island, WA $6,994

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Bainbridge Island, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Bainbridge Island, WA is 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$23.38 $23.38

-90.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$101 $101

-81.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$14.82 $14.82

-62.21%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$4.67 $4.67

-64.45%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$2.65 $2.65

-75.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$2.93 $2.93

-89.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$6.82 $6.82

-65.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$7.77 $7.77

-52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.09 $1.09

85.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$5.19 $5.19

-72.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$5.65 $5.65

-75.40%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$3.20 $3.20

-25.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$18.94 $18.94

-12.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$18.31 $18.31

-85.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$21.52 $21.52

-58.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$5.95 $5.95

-59.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.90 $1.90

-45.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$5.44 $5.44

-69.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$6.51 $6.51

-76.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$3.54 $3.54

-64.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$2.84 $2.84

-61.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$2.68 $2.68

-71.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$2.41 $2.41

-78.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$12.15 $12.15

-66.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$14.76 $14.76

21.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$4.14 $4.14

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$3.16 $3.16

-10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$2.06 $2.06

-54.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$59.9 $59.9

-11.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$2.63 $2.63

-55.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$1.25 $1.25

-86.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$30.44 $30.44

-94.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.33 $1.33

10.53%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-41.59%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.42%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$175 $175

-64.34%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$68.2 $68.2

-82.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$86.5 $86.5

-76.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$40.69 $40.69

-6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$13.83 $13.83

-52.93%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$2,805 $2,805

-74.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$20.1K $20.1K

-17.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$84.7 $84.7

-36.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$51.0 $51.0

-51.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$100 $100

-9.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$160 $160

-55.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$1,562 $1,562

-69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$1,255 $1,255

-75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$3,712 $3,712

-71.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$3,492 $3,492

-81.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$2,836 $2,836

-14.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$2,344 $2,344

-31.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$4,820 $4,820

-87.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bainbridge Island, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$1.3K 45% 305% $945

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$519 18.6% 119% $282

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$178 6.4% 64.5% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$330 11.9% 249% $236

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$359 12.9% 369% $283

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$77 2.8% 31.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Bainbridge Island, WA

$68 2.5% 34.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $1,562 in Bainbridge Island, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Bainbridge Island, WA are about 8.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Bainbridge Island, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $519 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Bainbridge Island, WA

🕒 Local time

02:11 2:11 AM

11:11 11:11 AM

15 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

24,825

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Bainbridge Island, WA 11,550 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bainbridge Island, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Chiang Mai vs Bainbridge Island, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai, $2,787 in Bainbridge Island, WA – Chiang Mai comes out roughly 66% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,180 in Bainbridge Island, WA. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $1,562 in Bainbridge Island, WA.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,805 in Bainbridge Island, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $2,787 in Bainbridge Island, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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