🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,225 in Beverly Hills, CA.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $4,188 in Beverly Hills, CA.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $5,150 in Beverly Hills, CA.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 73% less than in Beverly Hills, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Beverly Hills, CA is 141% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94฿63.6
$24.82$24.82
-92.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64฿609
$102$102
-81.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82฿256
$14.22$14.22
-45.01%
Cappuccino
$1.95฿63.9
$5.80$5.80
-66.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿27.80
$2.86$2.86
-70.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.60
$2.24$2.24
-84.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13฿69.7
$8.59$8.59
-75.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
$10.18$10.18
-63.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71฿56.0
$1.09$1.09
56.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.3
$4.47$4.47
-63.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14฿37.18
$4.48$4.48
-74.55%
Eggs
$1.93฿63.2
$7.71$7.71
-74.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21฿530
$12.76$12.76
27.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿102
$6.68$6.68
-53.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90฿356
$19.88$19.88
-45.17%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75฿90.1
$4.48$4.48
-38.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.56
$2.64$2.64
-54.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$3.30$3.30
-50.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.9
$2.22$2.22
-28.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40฿45.75
$2.22$2.22
-36.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.20
$2.24$2.24
-47.77%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66฿21.62
$1.84$1.84
-64.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.24
$0.52$0.52
1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69฿153
$11.79$11.79
-60.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66฿610
$15.08$15.08
23.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.8
$2.61$2.61
-31.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$1.53$1.53
111.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.28
$2.05$2.05
-56.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21฿628
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41฿45.96
$3.13$3.13
-54.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29฿42.16
$1.67$1.67
-22.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$29.60$29.60
-73.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.62
$1.29$1.29
-1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K฿695.5K
$31.3K$31.3K
-32.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K฿726.1K
$26.6K$26.6K
-16.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1฿2,258
$124$124
-44.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08฿460
$67.0$67.0
-78.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00฿588
$69.9$69.9
-74.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06฿1,342
$43.76$43.76
-6.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿193
$15.03$15.03
-60.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿9,775
$1,761$1,761
-83.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K฿488.8K
$23.4K$23.4K
-36.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7฿1,788
$61.3$61.3
-10.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77฿875
$47.11$47.11
-43.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0฿2,778
$99.3$99.3
-14.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6฿2,308
$148$148
-52.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428฿14.0K
$2,369$2,369
-81.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237฿7,759
$1,979$1,979
-88.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801฿26.2K
$2,609$2,609
-69.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.9K
$2,251$2,251
-77.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975฿64.5K
$2,655$2,655
-25.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475฿48.2K
$2,155$2,155
-31.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617฿20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
6.49
-22.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for Beverly Hills, CA: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $2,369 in Beverly Hills, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $102 in Beverly Hills, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $369 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 Beverly Hills, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beverly Hills, CA cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 272% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $4,838 in Beverly Hills, CA 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.
What is the rent difference between Chiang Mai and Beverly Hills, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $2,369 in Beverly Hills, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Chiang Mai and Beverly Hills, CA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Beverly Hills, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai vs Beverly Hills, CA?
All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,225 in Beverly Hills, CA – a 272% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Chiang Mai or Beverly Hills, CA?
At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,225 in Beverly Hills, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Beverly Hills, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Chiang Mai or Beverly Hills, CA more family-friendly?
For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beverly Hills, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Beverly Hills, CA?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Beverly Hills, CA 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 272% less than in Beverly Hills, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared