Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Midland, MI and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,873 in Midland, MI, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Midland, MI
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Midland, MI Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Midland, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,873

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,873 per month in Midland, MI vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Midland, MI $1,873
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Midland, MI vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Midland, MI $2,699
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,525 per month in Midland, MI vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Midland, MI $3,525
Chiang Mai $1,979

Midland, MI costs about 100% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Midland, MI sits 38% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$2.24 ฿75.6

798.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 $50.7

$19.00 ฿641

166.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$5.55 ฿187

78.38%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$1.67 ฿56.5

198.20%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$0.64 ฿21.55

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.31 ฿10.31

377.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.36 ฿79.6

63.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.66 ฿124

34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.95 ฿65.8

-56.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.44 ฿48.48

79.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.33 ฿45.04

64.66%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$2.28 ฿77.1

44.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 $11.19

$16.45 ฿555

-31.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$2.78 ฿93.9

175.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 $10.90

$9.31 ฿314

17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.35 ฿79.4

42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.97 ฿32.80

48.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.60 ฿53.9

171.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.50 ฿50.6

150.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.28 ฿43.12

101.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.10 ฿37.19

86.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.71 ฿23.82

184.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.49 ฿16.37

102.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$4.14 ฿140

142.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$17.52 ฿591

-23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.61 ฿54.5

21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.78 ฿94.0

9.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.87 ฿29.31

124.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$54.1 ฿1,826

124.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.16 ฿39.06

120.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.53 ฿17.80

377.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.32 $39.32

$2.42 ฿81.8

1524.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.45 ฿48.90

-33.79%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$21.1K ฿710.7K

48.01%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.9K ฿909.3K

-2.91%

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

$181 $181

$62.2 ฿2,098

190.54%

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

$40.27 $40.27

$12.17 ฿411

230.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.30 $49.30

$20.12 ฿679

145.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 $42.34

$37.31 ฿1,259

13.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.69 $31.69

$3.77 ฿127

740.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$6.49 ฿219

84.13%

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

$1,675 $1,675

$736 ฿24.8K

127.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$14.8K ฿498.3K

-4.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.43 $45.43

$53.4 ฿1,801

-14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.85 $39.85

$24.64 ฿831

61.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 $72.4

$91.5 ฿3,087

-20.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 $78.5

$71.9 ฿2,428

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 $710

$482 ฿16.3K

47.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 $694

$309 ฿10.4K

124.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$1,006 ฿33.9K

74.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$633 ฿21.4K

55.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,822 $1,822

$2,363 ฿79.8K

-22.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,823 $1,823

$1,589 ฿53.6K

14.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,705 $6,705

$590 ฿19.9K

1037.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.57

16.88%

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

Last update for Midland, MI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Midland, MI

$694 37.1%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 55.5% $385

Groceries & Markets

Midland, MI

$297 15.9%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 21.1% $63

Eating Out

Midland, MI

$294 15.7%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 73.6% $217

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Midland, MI

$270 14.4%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 65% $176

Getting Around

Midland, MI

$145 7.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 57.6% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Midland, MI

$106 5.7%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 2.2% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Midland, MI

$66 3.5%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 24.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $710 in Midland, MI versus $482 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 Midland, MI are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Midland, MI versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Midland, MI

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

05:06 5:06 AM

17:06 5:06 PM

12 h ahead of Midland, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

132,524

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 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 November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Midland, MI Chiang Mai 13,070 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Midland, MI
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

Midland, MI vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midland, MI costs about 100% 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 $2,809 per month in Midland, MI 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 $482 there versus $710 in Midland, MI.

Kindergarten costs $1,675 per month in Midland, MI and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Midland, MI, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,873 in Midland, MI and $936 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, Midland, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.