Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $3,628 in Glendale, CA, rent and utilities included – about $32,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

177

Cost of Living Index in Glendale, CA
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Glendale, CA Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Glendale, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,628

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Glendale, CA 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 Glendale, CA and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,628 per month in Glendale, CA vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Glendale, CA $3,628
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $4,588 per month in Glendale, CA vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Glendale, CA $4,588
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $5,548 per month in Glendale, CA vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Glendale, CA $5,548
Chiang Mai $1,914

Glendale, CA costs about 287% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Glendale, CA sits 169% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 $25.16

$2.26 ฿75.4

1013.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 $76.6

$19.18 ฿641

299.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.22 $15.22

$5.59 ฿187

172.27%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$1.72 ฿57.6

241.86%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$0.64 ฿21.54

389.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.33 ฿11.18

642.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$2.36 ฿78.7

200.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$3.90 ฿130

152.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.05 ฿68.6

-31.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.79 $4.79

$1.40 ฿46.70

242.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$1.28 ฿42.89

265.62%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$2.25 ฿75.3

157.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$16.94 ฿566

-33.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$2.74 ฿91.6

213.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.38 $19.38

$9.36 ฿313

107.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.40 ฿80.3

97.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.01 ฿33.92

129.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.61 ฿53.9

152.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$1.52 ฿50.7

255.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.28 ฿42.90

164.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.11 ฿37.22

154.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.72 ฿24.09

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.52 ฿17.54

369.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$4.33 ฿145

175.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$17.73 ฿593

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.63 ฿54.4

55.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.85 ฿95.3

-1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.85 ฿28.31

137.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.5 $91.5

$53.9 ฿1,801

69.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.17 ฿39.18

158.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.57 ฿19.00

215.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.99 $31.99

$2.37 ฿79.2

1249.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.45 ฿48.32

7.59%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$20.5K ฿684.3K

77.70%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-4.16%

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

$221 $221

$62.3 ฿2,083

254.72%

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

$78.0 $78.0

$12.27 ฿410

535.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.1 $74.1

$19.97 ฿668

270.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 $39.95

$37.91 ฿1,267

5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$20.13 $20.13

$6.71 ฿224

200.00%

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

$1,174 $1,174

$797 ฿26.6K

47.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

115.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$53.3 ฿1,780

15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.74 $48.74

$25.05 ฿837

94.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$91.6 ฿3,062

32.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 $199

$73.5 ฿2,455

170.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$464 ฿15.5K

240.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 $2,053

$305 ฿10.2K

573.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 $2,521

$915 ฿30.6K

175.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 $2,129

$552 ฿18.5K

285.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,395 $2,395

$1,912 ฿63.9K

25.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,760 $2,760

$1,438 ฿48.1K

91.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,110 $5,110

$595 ฿19.9K

758.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.57

17.24%

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

Last update for Glendale, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Glendale, CA

$2.1K 56.6%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 85.2% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Glendale, CA

$421 11.6%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 43.4% $183

Eating Out

Glendale, CA

$395 10.9%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 80% $316

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Glendale, CA

$373 10.3%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 74.7% $279

Clothing & Footwear

Glendale, CA

$194 5.3%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 43.5% $84

Getting Around

Glendale, CA

$112 3.1%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 45.1% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Glendale, CA

$80 2.2%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 36% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Glendale, CA versus $464 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 759% higher in Glendale, CA, 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 $77.0 in Glendale, CA versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Glendale, CA

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

10:27 10:27 AM

00:27 12:27 AM

14 h ahead of Glendale, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,831

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Glendale, CA Chiang Mai 12,930 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Glendale, CA
Chiang Mai

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

Glendale, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glendale, CA costs about 287% 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 $5,442 per month in Glendale, CA and $1,408 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 $1,174 per month in Glendale, CA and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Glendale, CA, 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 $938, than in Glendale, CA at $3,628. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glendale, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $3,628 in Glendale, CA. 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, Glendale, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.