Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boca Raton, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL, rent and utilities included – about $30,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
164

Cost of Living Index in Boca Raton, FL
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Boca Raton, FL Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Boca Raton, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Boca Raton, FL

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 Boca Raton, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL.

Chiang Mai $925
Boca Raton, FL $3,423

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $5,232 in Boca Raton, FL.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Boca Raton, FL $5,232

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $7,041 in Boca Raton, FL.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Boca Raton, FL $7,041

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 73% less than in Boca Raton, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Boca Raton, FL is 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$24.78 $24.78

-90.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$100 $100

-80.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$12.29 $12.29

-54.35%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$4.59 $4.59

-63.83%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$2.27 $2.27

-69.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$1.89 $1.89

-83.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$6.12 $6.12

-60.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$7.13 $7.13

-47.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.05 $1.05

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$4.26 $4.26

-66.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$7.09 $7.09

-81.52%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$5.33 $5.33

-59.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$11.62 $11.62

43.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$14.07 $14.07

-80.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$23.50 $23.50

-61.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$4.95 $4.95

-51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.89 $1.89

-45.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.78 $3.78

-56.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$5.13 $5.13

-70.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$3.22 $3.22

-59.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$3.27 $3.27

-66.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.01 $1.01

-28.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$2.57 $2.57

-79.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$10.16 $10.16

-57.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$14.02 $14.02

28.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.99 $1.99

-20.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.40 $2.40

18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$2.05 $2.05

-58.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$35.69 $35.69

49.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$4.01 $4.01

-69.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.72 $0.72

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$29.70 $29.70

-92.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.94 $0.94

53.19%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$34.5K $34.5K

-39.89%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.41%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$217 $217

-71.30%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$53.9 $53.9

-77.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$73.5 $73.5

-72.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$36.17 $36.17

2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$20.21 $20.21

-81.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$15.19 $15.19

-57.21%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$1,073 $1,073

-26.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

-30.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$46.13 $46.13

16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$42.47 $42.47

-42.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$70.7 $70.7

28.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$68.1 $68.1

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$3,372 $3,372

-86.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$2,057 $2,057

-85.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$4,578 $4,578

-80.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$3,894 $3,894

-85.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$8,693 $8,693

-77.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$6,480 $6,480

-77.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$5,714 $5,714

-89.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.53

-14.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Boca Raton, FL: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Boca Raton, FL

$2.1K 60.1% 591% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Boca Raton, FL

$449 13.1% 90.7% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Boca Raton, FL

$102 3% 5.4% $5.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Boca Raton, FL

$345 10.1% 265% $250

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Boca Raton, FL

$352 10.3% 347% $273

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Boca Raton, FL

$52 1.5% 15.2% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Boca Raton, FL

$67 1.9% 32.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Chiang Mai and $3,372 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boca Raton, FL pays 867% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $100 in Boca Raton, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $449 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Boca Raton, FL

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

13:57 1:57 PM

11 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

86,396

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Boca Raton, FL 14,990 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Boca Raton, FL

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 Boca Raton, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 270% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 867% lower in Boca Raton, FL. 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: $455 in Chiang Mai versus $3,372 in Boca Raton, FL. 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 $20.00 versus $100 in Boca Raton, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $925 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL – a 270% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Chiang Mai versus $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Boca Raton, FL. 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 Boca Raton, FL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Boca Raton, FL 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 270% less than in Boca Raton, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.