Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellensburg, WA and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Ellensburg, WA
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Ellensburg, WA Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,404

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ellensburg, WA and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ellensburg, WA and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,404 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $2,404
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $3,555 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $3,555
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $4,705 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ellensburg, WA $4,705
Chiang Mai $1,979

Ellensburg, WA costs about 157% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ellensburg, WA sits 77% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$2.24 ฿75.7

580.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$19.00 ฿642

295.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$5.55 ฿188

118.56%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$1.67 ฿56.6

201.80%

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

$1.54 $1.54

$0.64 ฿21.56

140.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.31 ฿10.32

306.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.36 ฿79.6

106.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.66 ฿124

66.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.95 ฿65.8

-49.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.44 ฿48.51

93.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.33 ฿45.07

254.14%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.28 ฿77.1

85.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$16.45 ฿556

-5.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$2.78 ฿94.0

139.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$9.31 ฿314

45.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.35 ฿79.5

95.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.97 ฿32.82

47.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.60 ฿53.9

166.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.50 ฿50.7

164.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.28 ฿43.15

17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.10 ฿37.22

101.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.71 ฿23.84

176.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.49 ฿16.38

289.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$4.14 ฿140

138.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 $13.99

$17.52 ฿592

-20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.61 ฿54.5

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.78 ฿94.0

76.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.87 ฿29.33

135.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 $57.6

$54.1 ฿1,827

6.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.16 ฿39.08

338.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.53 ฿17.82

232.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.42 $39.42

$2.42 ฿81.8

1528.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.45 ฿48.93

-28.28%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$21.1K ฿711.2K

30.94%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.9K ฿909.8K

1.29%

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

$149 $149

$62.2 ฿2,100

139.95%

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

$39.60 $39.60

$12.17 ฿411

225.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$20.12 ฿680

254.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.90 $40.90

$37.31 ฿1,260

9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$15.93 $15.93

$6.49 ฿219

145.45%

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

$1,356 $1,356

$736 ฿24.9K

84.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$14.8K ฿498.6K

46.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.48 $34.48

$53.4 ฿1,802

-35.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.61 $34.61

$24.64 ฿832

40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$91.5 ฿3,089

19.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.10 $40.10

$71.9 ฿2,429

-44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$482 ฿16.3K

234.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$309 ฿10.4K

313.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,509 $2,509

$1,006 ฿34.0K

149.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$633 ฿21.4K

242.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,531 $4,531

$2,363 ฿79.8K

91.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 $4,418

$1,589 ฿53.7K

178.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 $1,785

$590 ฿19.9K

202.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.57

16.70%

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

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ellensburg, WA

$1.3K 53.1%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 75.8% $968

Groceries & Markets

Ellensburg, WA

$349 14.5%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 32.9% $115

Eating Out

Ellensburg, WA

$267 11.1%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 70.9% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ellensburg, WA

$260 10.8%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 63.7% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Ellensburg, WA

$98 4.1%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 10.5% $10

Getting Around

Ellensburg, WA

$80 3.3%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 23% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Ellensburg, WA

$73 3%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 30.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA versus $482 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ellensburg, WA are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Ellensburg, WA versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ellensburg, WA

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

12:06 12:06 PM

02:06 2:06 AM

14 h ahead of Ellensburg, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,666

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Ellensburg, WA Chiang Mai 11,700 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

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Ellensburg, WA
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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

Ellensburg, WA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ellensburg, WA costs about 157% 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 $3,605 per month in Ellensburg, WA and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA.

Kindergarten costs $1,356 per month in Ellensburg, WA and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Ellensburg, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Ellensburg, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.