Cost of Living Comparison Between North Little Rock, AR and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between North Little Rock, AR and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,584 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,740 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR costs about 200% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

North Little Rock, AR sits 93% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 $18.75

$1.96 ฿65.8

856.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$18.35 ฿617

302.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$7.48 ฿252

44.79%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$2.02 ฿67.8

146.04%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$0.85 ฿28.50

196.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.36 ฿11.96

447.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.14 ฿71.8

176.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$3.59 ฿121

98.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.65 ฿55.5

-38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.57 ฿52.7

117.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.19 ฿40.02

256.30%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.94 ฿65.1

113.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$16.19 ฿544

-23.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$2.99 ฿101

282.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$10.94 ฿368

43.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.71 ฿91.2

83.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.17 ฿39.25

39.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.69 ฿56.7

149.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.60 ฿54.0

198.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.38 ฿46.54

100.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.20 ฿40.45

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.67 ฿22.50

210.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.56 ฿18.73

285.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 $9.73

$4.64 ฿156

109.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 $14.15

$17.62 ฿593

-19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.86 ฿62.5

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.30 ฿111

2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.88 ฿29.68

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.36 ฿45.90

155.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.34 ฿44.98

18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.78 $28.78

$8.21 ฿276

250.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.22 ฿41.18

-31.15%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

37.38%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

13.68%

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

$187 $187

$70.7 ฿2,376

164.02%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$14.04 ฿472

268.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$17.49 ฿588

289.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.30 $42.30

$42.15 ฿1,417

0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 $13.46

$5.92 ฿199

127.36%

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

$1,323 $1,323

$309 ฿10.4K

328.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

55.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$55.8 ฿1,875

-8.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 $40.35

$26.11 ฿878

54.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 $86.7

$83.0 ฿2,792

4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$70.5 ฿2,369

60.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 $1,622

$432 ฿14.5K

275.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$239 ฿8,035

464.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$822 ฿27.7K

216.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 $2,249

$512 ฿17.2K

339.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,800 $2,800

$1,915 ฿64.4K

46.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 $2,469

$1,467 ฿49.3K

68.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

30.20%

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

Last update for North Little Rock, AR: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in North Little Rock, AR versus $432 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 $74.0 in North Little Rock, AR versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 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

North Little Rock, AR vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Little Rock, AR costs about 200% 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 $3,876 per month in North Little Rock, AR and $1,292 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 North Little Rock, AR and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in North Little Rock, AR, 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 $861, than in North Little Rock, AR at $2,584. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Little Rock, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,584 in North Little Rock, AR. 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, North Little Rock, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.