Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $2,994 in Madison, WI, rent and utilities included – about $25,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,994

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,994 per month in Madison, WI vs $906 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madison, WI $2,994
Chiang Mai $906

A couple spends around $4,424 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,385 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madison, WI $4,424
Chiang Mai $1,385

A family of three spends $5,854 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,864 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madison, WI $5,854
Chiang Mai $1,864

Madison, WI costs about 230% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Madison, WI sits 123% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$2.13 ฿71.4

821.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 $68.0

$19.40 ฿649

250.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 $13.07

$5.47 ฿183

138.94%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.68 ฿56.4

235.12%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$0.66 ฿22.10

378.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.34 ฿11.52

644.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.42 ฿81.0

192.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$3.73 ฿125

120.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.06 ฿68.9

-52.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.46 ฿48.78

134.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.35 ฿45.09

205.93%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$2.27 ฿76.0

59.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 $14.92

$16.31 ฿546

-8.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$2.70 ฿90.3

391.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.06 $20.06

$9.20 ฿308

118.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.39 ฿80.1

98.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.04 ฿34.66

55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.60 ฿53.7

231.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$1.44 ฿48.37

245.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.30 ฿43.59

114.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.11 ฿37.29

181.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.70 ฿23.55

212.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.51 ฿16.99

374.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 $10.77

$4.13 ฿138

160.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 $15.75

$17.78 ฿595

-11.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.63 ฿54.7

65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.87 ฿96.0

54.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.86 ฿28.76

139.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 $65.5

$53.2 ฿1,780

23.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.22 ฿40.81

225.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.56 ฿18.81

260.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.09 $43.09

$2.31 ฿77.5

1765.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.50 ฿50.2

-32.67%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$20.9K ฿698.3K

72.58%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K ฿895.0K

-4.15%

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

$269 $269

$61.3 ฿2,051

339.32%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$12.50 ฿419

320.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 $83.8

$20.36 ฿682

311.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 $58.4

$37.94 ฿1,270

53.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 $10.54

$3.77 ฿126

179.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$6.60 ฿221

131.36%

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

$1,705 $1,705

$774 ฿25.9K

120.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$14.4K ฿483.2K

59.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$54.8 ฿1,835

14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 $50.0

$25.26 ฿846

98.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$90.6 ฿3,032

18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$73.3 ฿2,453

65.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$459 ฿15.4K

289.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$294 ฿9,835

435.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 $3,177

$919 ฿30.8K

245.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$552 ฿18.5K

364.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,524 $4,524

$1,917 ฿64.2K

135.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 $2,489

$1,445 ฿48.4K

72.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 $4,383

$592 ฿19.8K

639.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.57

20.11%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Madison, WI

$1.6K 51.1%

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8% 81.3% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Madison, WI

$432 14%

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6% 45.4% $196

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madison, WI

$405 13.2%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 76.8% $311

Eating Out

Madison, WI

$338 11%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4% 77.2% $261

Clothing & Footwear

Madison, WI

$154 5%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9% 28.7% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Madison, WI

$89 2.9%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 42.5% $38

Getting Around

Madison, WI

$88 2.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 31% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,789 in Madison, WI versus $459 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 640% higher in Madison, WI, 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 $68.0 in Madison, WI versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $236 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

05:40 5:40 AM

17:40 5:40 PM

12 h ahead of Madison, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,951

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Madison, WI Chiang Mai 13,080 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Madison, WI
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

Madison, WI vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madison, WI costs about 230% 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 $4,491 per month in Madison, WI and $1,359 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 $1,705 per month in Madison, WI and $774 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Madison, WI, 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 $906, than in Madison, WI at $2,994. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $2,994 in Madison, WI. 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, Madison, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.