Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Myrtle Beach, SC and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,474 in Myrtle Beach, SC, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Myrtle Beach, SC
Learn more

Myrtle Beach, SC Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Myrtle Beach, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,474

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,474 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Myrtle Beach, SC $2,474
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $3,472 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Myrtle Beach, SC $3,472
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $4,471 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Myrtle Beach, SC $4,471
Chiang Mai $1,903

Myrtle Beach, SC costs about 167% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Myrtle Beach, SC sits 83% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 $18.31

$2.29 ฿76.5

699.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$19.64 ฿656

274.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 $11.13

$5.61 ฿188

98.40%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$1.66 ฿55.6

209.64%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$0.70 ฿23.40

274.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.31 ฿10.24

632.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.41 ฿80.4

156.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.71 ฿124

83.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.95 ฿65.3

-54.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.41 ฿47.03

129.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.31 ฿43.62

153.44%

Eggs

$3.94 $3.94

$2.18 ฿72.9

80.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$16.65 ฿556

-22.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$2.76 ฿92.2

294.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 $15.07

$9.11 ฿304

65.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.39 ฿80.0

117.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.03 ฿34.26

25.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.63 ฿54.4

165.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.50 ฿50.0

208.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.29 ฿43.13

186.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.11 ฿37.03

157.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.72 ฿24.08

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.53 ฿17.59

320.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 $7.48

$4.31 ฿144

73.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 $12.87

$17.95 ฿600

-28.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.58 ฿52.9

17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.84 ฿95.0

-25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.21 ฿40.29

148.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.57 ฿18.99

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.24 $30.24

$2.35 ฿78.6

1186.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.44 ฿47.96

-35.42%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

35.76%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-10.65%

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

$158 $158

$62.3 ฿2,083

153.41%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$12.11 ฿405

454.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.2 $79.2

$19.94 ฿666

297.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 $51.1

$37.07 ฿1,239

37.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 $15.07

$3.78 ฿126

298.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 $11.09

$6.50 ฿217

70.62%

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

$1,453 $1,453

$793 ฿26.5K

83.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

70.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$53.7 ฿1,796

-4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.71 $37.71

$24.62 ฿823

53.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 $83.1

$90.9 ฿3,036

-8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 $89.1

$71.1 ฿2,378

25.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 $1,488

$455 ฿15.2K

226.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$298 ฿9,954

332.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,418 $2,418

$908 ฿30.4K

166.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 $1,811

$554 ฿18.5K

226.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,443 $2,443

$1,931 ฿64.5K

26.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,353 $2,353

$1,445 ฿48.3K

62.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,625 $3,625

$591 ฿19.7K

513.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

5.57

16.34%

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

Last update for Myrtle Beach, SC: 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

Myrtle Beach, SC

$1.3K 52%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 76.9% $990

Groceries & Markets

Myrtle Beach, SC

$373 15.1%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 36.9% $137

Eating Out

Myrtle Beach, SC

$306 12.4%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 74.3% $227

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Myrtle Beach, SC

$304 12.3%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 69% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Myrtle Beach, SC

$118 4.8%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 8% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Myrtle Beach, SC

$73 3%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 31.6% $23

Getting Around

Myrtle Beach, SC

$13 * 0.5%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 386% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,488 in Myrtle Beach, SC 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.

Salaries run about 514% higher in Myrtle Beach, SC, 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 $74.0 in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Myrtle Beach, SC

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

15:47 3:47 PM

11 h ahead of Myrtle Beach, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,175

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Myrtle Beach, SC Chiang Mai 14,170 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Myrtle Beach, SC
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

Myrtle Beach, SC vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Myrtle Beach, SC costs about 167% 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 $3,710 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Myrtle Beach, SC and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Myrtle Beach, SC, 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 Myrtle Beach, SC at $2,474. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Myrtle Beach, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,474 in Myrtle Beach, SC. 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, Myrtle Beach, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.