Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,321 per month in Long Beach, CA vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,753 per month in Long Beach, CA vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,185 per month in Long Beach, CA vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Long Beach, CA costs about 290% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Long Beach, CA sits 148% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 $18.04

$1.96 ฿63.6

820.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$18.81 ฿611

326.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$7.92 ฿258

85.73%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$1.91 ฿62.2

165.97%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$0.84 ฿27.25

263.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.35 ฿11.44

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 $7.41

$2.21 ฿71.7

235.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$3.80 ฿124

109.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.64 ฿53.2

-31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.62 ฿52.8

153.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.18 ฿38.40

268.64%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$2.01 ฿65.4

90.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$15.89 ฿517

-22.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$3.01 ฿98.0

318.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.15 $15.15

$10.77 ฿350

40.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.61 ฿85.0

75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.22 ฿39.65

35.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.70 ฿55.4

128.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.58 ฿51.2

201.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.32 ฿42.89

125.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.17 ฿38.01

107.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.67 ฿21.85

211.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.56 ฿18.21

287.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 $10.95

$4.53 ฿147

141.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$18.20 ฿592

-18.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.83 ฿59.6

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.23 ฿105

-21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.89 ฿28.83

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 $69.2

$19.38 ฿630

257.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.35 ฿43.95

119.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.35 ฿43.79

213.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.93 $27.93

$8.25 ฿268

238.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.27 ฿41.40

-2.36%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

19.95%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

18.72%

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

$155 $155

$70.2 ฿2,281

120.46%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$13.77 ฿448

286.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 $58.1

$17.60 ฿572

230.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.66 $39.66

$41.57 ฿1,352

-4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$5.78 ฿188

157.44%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$306 ฿9,953

398.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

91.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.36 $48.36

$54.4 ฿1,768

-11.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.20 $34.20

$26.14 ฿850

30.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$84.5 ฿2,748

16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$69.4 ฿2,257

45.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$424 ฿13.8K

461.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$238 ฿7,743

791.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 $3,618

$825 ฿26.8K

338.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 $3,317

$515 ฿16.7K

543.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,099 $7,099

$2,049 ฿66.6K

246.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,832 $6,832

$1,523 ฿49.5K

348.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 $4,352

$635 ฿20.6K

585.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

27.80%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Long Beach, CA versus $424 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 585% higher in Long Beach, 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 $80.0 in Long Beach, CA versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $243 – 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

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

Long Beach, CA costs about 290% 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 $4,982 per month in Long Beach, CA and $1,278 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 $1,526 per month in Long Beach, CA and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Long Beach, 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 $852, than in Long Beach, CA at $3,321. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Beach, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,321 in Long Beach, 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, Long Beach, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.