Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bellevue, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $3,763 in Bellevue, WA, rent and utilities included – about $33,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
181

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, WA
Learn more

Bellevue, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,763

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bellevue, 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 Bellevue, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $3,763 in Bellevue, WA.

Chiang Mai $936
Bellevue, WA $3,763

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $5,702 in Bellevue, WA.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Bellevue, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $7,641 in Bellevue, WA.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Bellevue, WA $7,641

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 75% less than in Bellevue, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Bellevue, WA is 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$25.38 $25.38

-91.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$101 $101

-81.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$13.03 $13.03

-57.41%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$5.80 $5.80

-71.21%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$3.15 $3.15

-79.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$2.51 $2.51

-87.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$7.91 $7.91

-70.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$7.94 $7.94

-53.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.10 $1.10

77.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$4.65 $4.65

-69.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$6.05 $6.05

-78.02%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$5.54 $5.54

-58.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$15.96 $15.96

3.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$16.26 $16.26

-82.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$22.78 $22.78

-59.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$5.61 $5.61

-58.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.87 $1.87

-48.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$5.54 $5.54

-71.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.52 $4.52

-66.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$2.77 $2.77

-53.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$3.32 $3.32

-66.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.99 $1.99

-64.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$2.48 $2.48

-80.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$12.41 $12.41

-66.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$18.19 $18.19

-3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.12 $2.12

-24.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.75 $4.75

-41.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$3.05 $3.05

-71.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$110 $110

-50.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$2.64 $2.64

-56.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.70 $1.70

-68.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$30.09 $30.09

-91.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.41 $1.41

2.84%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$28.6K $28.6K

-26.36%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$26.3K $26.3K

2.28%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$227 $227

-72.67%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$54.2 $54.2

-77.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$64.8 $64.8

-68.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$186 $186

-79.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$39.31 $39.31

-90.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$18.28 $18.28

-64.50%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$1,980 $1,980

-62.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-53.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$62.1 $62.1

-13.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$44.06 $44.06

-44.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$99.2 $99.2

-7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$125 $125

-42.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$2,940 $2,940

-83.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$2,028 $2,028

-84.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$6,554 $6,554

-84.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$3,722 $3,722

-82.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$7,947 $7,947

-70.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$5,385 $5,385

-70.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$8,751 $8,751

-93.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.64

-16.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bellevue, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Bellevue, WA

$2K 53.9% 557% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Bellevue, WA

$494 13.1% 111% $260

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Bellevue, WA

$149 4% 36.9% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.2% 267% $252

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Bellevue, WA

$390 10.4% 402% $312

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Bellevue, WA

$133 3.6% 118% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Bellevue, WA

$222 5.9% 343% $172

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellevue, WA pays about 15 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $101 in Bellevue, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $494 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🕒 Local time

16:09 4:09 PM

01:09 1:09 AM

15 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

151,854

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bellevue, WA 11,570 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bellevue, 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 Bellevue, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $101 in Bellevue, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,763 in Bellevue, WA – Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bellevue, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bellevue, WA are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Bellevue, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.