Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lakewood, WA and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $3,284 in Lakewood, WA, rent and utilities included – about $28,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

158

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

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Lakewood, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,284

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,284 per month in Lakewood, WA vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lakewood, WA $3,284
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $4,777 per month in Lakewood, WA vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lakewood, WA $4,777
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $6,270 per month in Lakewood, WA vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lakewood, WA $6,270
Chiang Mai $1,903

Lakewood, WA costs about 255% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lakewood, WA sits 142% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$2.29 ฿76.5

689.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 $67.6

$19.64 ฿656

244.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.71 $12.71

$5.61 ฿188

126.56%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$1.66 ฿55.6

213.25%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$0.70 ฿23.40

325.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.31 ฿10.24

561.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.41 ฿80.4

61.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.71 ฿124

64.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.95 ฿65.3

-47.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.41 ฿47.03

160.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.31 ฿43.62

223.66%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$2.18 ฿72.9

79.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.72 $13.72

$16.65 ฿556

-17.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$2.76 ฿92.2

214.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$9.11 ฿304

23.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.39 ฿80.0

83.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.03 ฿34.26

88.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.63 ฿54.4

155.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.50 ฿50.0

201.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.29 ฿43.13

52.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.11 ฿37.03

93.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.72 ฿24.08

180.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.53 ฿17.59

369.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$4.31 ฿144

186.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 $15.84

$17.95 ฿600

-11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 ฿52.9

25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.84 ฿95.0

46.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.86 ฿28.86

137.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$197 $197

$53.3 ฿1,780

269.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.21 ฿40.29

66.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.57 ฿18.99

12.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.31 $27.31

$2.35 ฿78.6

1062.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.44 ฿47.96

-6.94%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

35.54%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-1.84%

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

$289 $289

$62.3 ฿2,083

363.23%

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

$74.0 $74.0

$12.11 ฿405

510.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.5 $89.5

$19.94 ฿666

348.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 $41.00

$37.07 ฿1,239

10.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.97 $24.97

$3.78 ฿126

560.58%

Cinema Ticket

$18.08 $18.08

$6.50 ฿217

178.15%

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

$1,965 $1,965

$793 ฿26.5K

147.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K $25.7K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

73.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$53.7 ฿1,796

-6.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 $38.11

$24.62 ฿823

54.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$90.9 ฿3,036

10.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$71.1 ฿2,378

91.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$455 ฿15.2K

330.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 $1,733

$298 ฿9,954

481.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,365 $3,365

$908 ฿30.4K

270.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 $3,047

$554 ฿18.5K

450.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,359 $2,359

$1,931 ฿64.5K

22.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,606 $2,606

$1,445 ฿48.3K

80.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.57

22.26%

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

Last update for Lakewood, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lakewood, WA

$1.7K 52.8%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 82.8% $1.4K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lakewood, WA

$452 13.8%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 79.1% $358

Groceries & Markets

Lakewood, WA

$369 11.2%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 36.1% $133

Eating Out

Lakewood, WA

$297 9.1%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 73.5% $219

Getting Around

Lakewood, WA

$210 6.4%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 71.1% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Lakewood, WA

$146 4.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 25.9% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Lakewood, WA

$77 2.4%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 35.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,961 in Lakewood, WA versus $455 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Lakewood, WA versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lakewood, WA

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

01:11 1:11 AM

15:11 3:11 PM

14 h ahead of Lakewood, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

140,024

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

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

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).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lakewood, WA Chiang Mai 11,590 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Lakewood, WA
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

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

Lakewood, WA costs about 255% 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 $4,926 per month in Lakewood, WA and $1,388 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 $1,965 per month in Lakewood, WA and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Lakewood, WA, 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 Lakewood, WA at $3,284. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lakewood, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $3,284 in Lakewood, WA. 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, Lakewood, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.