Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belton, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belton, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,608 in Belton, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $3,823 in Belton, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $5,037 in Belton, SC.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 67% less than in Belton, SC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Belton, SC is 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$18.72 $18.72

-89.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$75.6 $75.6

-75.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.87 $10.87

-27.14%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$5.15 $5.15

-62.91%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.52 $2.52

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.97 $1.97

-82.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$6.01 $6.01

-63.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.14 $7.14

-46.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.00 $1.00

64.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.52 $3.52

-53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$4.27 $4.27

-72.37%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.08 $4.08

-50.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.40 $12.40

28.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.72 $11.72

-74.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$15.62 $15.62

-31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$4.98 $4.98

-47.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.63 $1.63

-25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$4.35 $4.35

-60.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.69 $4.69

-66.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.79 $2.79

-52.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.89 $2.89

-59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.05 $2.05

-67.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$2.14 $2.14

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$9.77 $9.77

-53.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.97 $14.97

21.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.84 $1.84

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.46 $3.46

-6.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.97 $1.97

-54.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.46 $3.46

-60.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.58 $1.58

-14.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$29.77 $29.77

-72.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.85 $0.85

49.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$29.1K $29.1K

-27.24%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

-11.90%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$190 $190

-63.13%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$52.1 $52.1

-73.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$69.1 $69.1

-74.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$42.86 $42.86

-3.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.46 $13.46

-57.06%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$1,291 $1,291

-76.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$23.5K $23.5K

-37.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$50.8 $50.8

6.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.68 $39.68

-34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$88.0 $88.0

-3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$111 $111

-37.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,634 $1,634

-74.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,362 $1,362

-82.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,631 $2,631

-68.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,201 $2,201

-76.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,719 $2,719

-24.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,406 $2,406

-36.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

-23.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Belton, SC: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $1,634 in Belton, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $76.0 in Belton, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $391 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

Chiang Mai vs Belton, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 206% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $3,912 in Belton, SC 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,634 in Belton, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Belton, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,608 in Belton, SC – a 206% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,608 in Belton, SC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Belton, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Belton, SC 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 206% less than in Belton, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.