Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jackson, TN and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,209 in Jackson, TN, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Jackson, TN
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Jackson, TN Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Jackson, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,209

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,209 per month in Jackson, TN vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jackson, TN $2,209
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $3,140 per month in Jackson, TN vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jackson, TN $3,140
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $4,071 per month in Jackson, TN vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jackson, TN $4,071
Chiang Mai $1,999

Jackson, TN costs about 136% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Jackson, TN sits 63% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 $17.20

$2.13 ฿72.0

707.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.11 $49.11

$18.62 ฿628

163.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 $10.45

$5.60 ฿189

86.61%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$1.66 ฿56.1

205.42%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$0.65 ฿21.82

275.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.30 ฿10.29

510.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.32 ฿78.3

71.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.67 ฿124

33.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.02 ฿68.0

-58.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.41 ฿47.49

123.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.39 ฿46.94

88.49%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.37 ฿79.9

81.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 $9.44

$16.52 ฿557

-42.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 $10.25

$2.67 ฿90.1

283.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$9.02 ฿304

66.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.40 ฿80.9

62.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.04 ฿35.12

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.66 ฿56.0

62.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.56 ฿52.6

96.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.24 ฿41.75

40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.09 ฿36.65

108.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.76 ฿25.70

144.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.51 ฿17.34

276.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 $8.26

$4.12 ฿139

100.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.81 $12.81

$17.93 ฿605

-28.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 ฿54.8

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.82 ฿95.2

-28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.93 ฿31.52

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.36 $34.36

$52.9 ฿1,784

-35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.18 ฿39.69

66.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.17 ฿5.78

635.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.19 $20.19

$1.81 ฿61.1

1015.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.47 ฿49.67

-38.78%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$21.0K ฿708.7K

44.55%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.5K ฿894.4K

-4.70%

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

$170 $170

$62.6 ฿2,110

170.94%

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

$65.6 $65.6

$11.60 ฿391

465.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$20.30 ฿685

257.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 $50.6

$37.88 ฿1,278

33.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 $50.8

$3.70 ฿125

1271.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 $11.21

$6.51 ฿220

72.20%

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

$1,116 $1,116

$727 ฿24.5K

53.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$16.6K ฿559.0K

-11.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$53.5 ฿1,806

-5.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 $36.72

$24.80 ฿836

48.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 $64.4

$90.4 ฿3,049

-28.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 $98.2

$72.0 ฿2,428

36.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 $1,206

$481 ฿16.2K

150.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 $1,067

$310 ฿10.5K

244.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$1,058 ฿35.7K

54.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$659 ฿22.2K

143.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,719 $1,719

$2,418 ฿81.5K

-28.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 $1,714

$1,609 ฿54.3K

6.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,206 $4,206

$595 ฿20.1K

607.04%

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 Jackson, TN: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jackson, TN

$1.1K 48.3%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 70.9% $757

Groceries & Markets

Jackson, TN

$324 14.7%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 27.1% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jackson, TN

$308 13.9%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 69.3% $213

Eating Out

Jackson, TN

$277 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 72.3% $200

Clothing & Footwear

Jackson, TN

$112 5.1%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 3.7% $4.1

Sport & Entertainment

Jackson, TN

$73 3.3%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 30.3% $22

Getting Around

Jackson, TN

$48 2.2%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 23.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,206 in Jackson, TN versus $481 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 Jackson, TN are about 7.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Jackson, TN versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Jackson, TN

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

05:50 5:50 AM

18:50 6:50 PM

13 h ahead of Jackson, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

153,701

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 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 November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Jackson, TN Chiang Mai 13,910 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Jackson, TN
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

Jackson, TN vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jackson, TN costs about 136% 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 $3,313 per month in Jackson, TN 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 $481 there versus $1,206 in Jackson, TN.

Kindergarten costs $1,116 per month in Jackson, TN and $727 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Jackson, TN, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,209 in Jackson, TN and $935 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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