Cost of Living Comparison Between Garland, TX and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Garland, TX and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,435 per month in Garland, TX vs $942 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,414 per month in Garland, TX vs $1,427 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,393 per month in Garland, TX vs $1,912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Garland, TX costs about 158% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Garland, TX sits 81% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 $11.82

$2.08 ฿69.4

468.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.54 $35.54

$19.91 ฿664

78.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 $8.78

$5.58 ฿186

57.35%

Cappuccino

$3.28 $3.28

$1.74 ฿58.0

88.51%

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

$1.80 $1.80

$0.72 ฿24.01

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.32 ฿10.67

653.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$2.25 ฿75.1

256.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$3.81 ฿127

138.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.02 ฿67.4

-45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.57 ฿52.4

140.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.40 ฿46.58

132.86%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.15 ฿71.8

96.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$15.63 ฿522

-51.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$2.95 ฿98.3

135.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.49 ฿317

5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.60 ฿86.9

66.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.08 ฿36.08

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.59 ฿53.1

192.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.45 ฿48.47

189.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.28 ฿42.60

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.11 ฿37.07

86.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.73 ฿24.23

149.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.50 ฿16.67

178.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 $9.95

$4.27 ฿143

133.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 $11.08

$17.67 ฿590

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.68 ฿56.1

72.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.80 ฿93.5

18.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.87 ฿28.87

248.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 $94.3

$54.2 ฿1,808

74.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.21 ฿40.47

125.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.54 ฿17.98

196.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.97 $34.97

$2.39 ฿79.6

1363.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.46 ฿48.84

-45.89%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$21.0K ฿701.2K

69.53%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.7K ฿890.8K

3.01%

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

$177 $177

$62.1 ฿2,071

184.58%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$12.93 ฿431

329.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$20.61 ฿688

231.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 $38.64

$39.21 ฿1,308

-1.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.28 $16.28

$3.77 ฿126

331.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 $14.11

$6.52 ฿217

116.41%

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

$1,510 $1,510

$803 ฿26.8K

88.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$14.7K ฿490.4K

44.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.12 $46.12

$55.9 ฿1,864

-17.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.96 $29.96

$25.51 ฿851

17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 $78.4

$91.1 ฿3,039

-13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$73.3 ฿2,446

41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 $1,542

$484 ฿16.1K

218.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$288 ฿9,617

343.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 $2,308

$885 ฿29.5K

160.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 $2,109

$523 ฿17.5K

302.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,256 $3,256

$1,989 ฿66.4K

63.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 $1,925

$1,440 ฿48.1K

33.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,732 $3,732

$603 ฿20.1K

519.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

5.57

16.16%

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

Last update for Garland, TX: September 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,542 in Garland, TX versus $484 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 run about 519% higher in Garland, TX, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Garland, TX versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Garland, TX vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garland, TX costs about 158% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $3,653 per month in Garland, TX and $1,414 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,510 per month in Garland, TX and $803 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Garland, TX, 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 $942, than in Garland, TX at $2,435. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Garland, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $2,435 in Garland, TX. 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, Garland, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.