Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabot, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabot, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,561 in Cabot, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $3,654 in Cabot, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $4,747 in Cabot, AR.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Cabot, AR is 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.87 $11.87

-83.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$75.4 $75.4

-75.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$12.60 $12.60

-37.14%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$5.21 $5.21

-63.34%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.48 $2.48

-66.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.94 $1.94

-81.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$6.12 $6.12

-63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.94 $6.94

-45.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.98 $0.98

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.55 $3.55

-54.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.59 $2.59

-54.44%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.25 $4.25

-52.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.23 $12.23

29.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.58 $11.58

-74.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$15.62 $15.62

-31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$4.86 $4.86

-46.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.63 $1.63

-25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$4.27 $4.27

-60.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.33 $4.33

-63.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.93 $2.93

-54.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.91 $2.91

-59.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.01 $2.01

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$2.11 $2.11

-73.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$9.50 $9.50

-52.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$16.66 $16.66

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.83 $1.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.27 $3.27

-1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.98 $1.98

-55.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.44 $3.44

-60.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.64 $1.64

-17.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$29.24 $29.24

-71.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.89 $0.89

42.70%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$29.5K $29.5K

-28.17%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

-12.17%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$187 $187

-62.42%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$52.1 $52.1

-73.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$67.3 $67.3

-73.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$42.83 $42.83

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.67 $13.67

-57.72%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$1,282 $1,282

-76.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$23.5K $23.5K

-36.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$51.2 $51.2

6.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.70 $39.70

-34.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$86.3 $86.3

-2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$113 $113

-38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,619 $1,619

-73.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,375 $1,375

-82.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,583 $2,583

-68.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,251 $2,251

-77.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,694 $2,694

-23.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,330 $2,330

-34.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$4,882 $4,882

-86.99%

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 Cabot, AR: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $1,619 in Cabot, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cabot, AR pays 669% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $75.0 in Cabot, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $384 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 Cabot, AR: 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 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cabot, AR earns 669% less. 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,619 in Cabot, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $1,282 in Cabot, AR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $75.0 in Cabot, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,561 in Cabot, AR, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cabot, AR. 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 Cabot, AR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cabot, AR 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 201% less than in Cabot, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.