Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fort Madison, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,559 in Fort Madison, IA, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Fort Madison, IA
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Fort Madison, IA Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Fort Madison, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,559

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Fort Madison, IA

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 Fort Madison, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,559 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Fort Madison, IA $2,559

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,754 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Fort Madison, IA $3,754

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,950 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Fort Madison, IA $4,950

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Fort Madison, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Fort Madison, IA is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$19.82 $19.82

-88.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$76.2 $76.2

-74.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$11.40 $11.40

-50.79%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$5.49 $5.49

-69.76%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$2.63 $2.63

-73.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$1.98 $1.98

-84.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$6.13 $6.13

-60.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$7.37 $7.37

-49.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.05 $1.05

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$3.45 $3.45

-59.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$4.30 $4.30

-69.53%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$4.15 $4.15

-47.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$12.60 $12.60

32.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$11.33 $11.33

-75.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$17.07 $17.07

-46.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$4.89 $4.89

-51.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.58 $1.58

-34.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.23 $4.23

-61.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$4.82 $4.82

-68.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$2.84 $2.84

-54.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.94 $2.94

-62.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.14 $2.14

-66.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$2.21 $2.21

-76.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$10.10 $10.10

-57.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$15.04 $15.04

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.68 $1.68

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.00 $3.00

-5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$2.27 $2.27

-62.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$3.33 $3.33

-63.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.76 $1.76

-67.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$31.70 $31.70

-92.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.92 $0.92

56.52%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

-21.93%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$23.8K $23.8K

12.54%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$201 $201

-69.06%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$59.0 $59.0

-79.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$71.0 $71.0

-71.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$41.05 $41.05

-9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$14.14 $14.14

-54.03%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$1,439 $1,439

-44.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$23.7K $23.7K

-37.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$53.8 $53.8

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$40.89 $40.89

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$88.0 $88.0

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$115 $115

-37.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$1,582 $1,582

-71.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$1,287 $1,287

-76.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$2,533 $2,533

-64.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$2,141 $2,141

-74.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$2,414 $2,414

-20.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$2,589 $2,589

-44.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.57

-15.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Fort Madison, IA

$1.3K 50.3% 332% $989

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Fort Madison, IA

$393 15.4% 67% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Fort Madison, IA

$134 5.2% 23.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Fort Madison, IA

$331 13% 251% $237

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Fort Madison, IA

$322 12.6% 310% $244

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Fort Madison, IA

$21 * 0.8% 65.1% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Fort Madison, IA

$69 2.7% 38.5% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,582 in Fort Madison, IA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $76.0 in Fort Madison, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $393 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Fort Madison, IA

🕒 Local time

08:51 8:51 AM

20:51 8:51 PM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,270

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Fort Madison, IA 13,320 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Fort Madison, IA

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 Fort Madison, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Madison, IA costs about 177% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,838 in Fort Madison, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $76.0 in Fort Madison, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Fort Madison, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Fort Madison, IA at $2,559. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Madison, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,559 in Fort Madison, IA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fort Madison, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.