Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rock Island, IL and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,664 in Rock Island, IL, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Rock Island, IL
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Rock Island, IL Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Rock Island, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,664

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,664 per month in Rock Island, IL vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rock Island, IL $2,664
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $3,843 per month in Rock Island, IL vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rock Island, IL $3,843
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $5,023 per month in Rock Island, IL vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rock Island, IL $5,023
Chiang Mai $1,903

Rock Island, IL costs about 188% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Rock Island, IL sits 97% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.07 $20.07

$2.29 ฿76.5

776.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 $67.2

$19.64 ฿656

241.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$5.61 ฿188

128.88%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$1.66 ฿55.6

255.42%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$0.70 ฿23.40

348.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.31 ฿10.24

674.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.41 ฿80.4

193.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 $7.97

$3.71 ฿124

114.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.95 ฿65.3

-51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.41 ฿47.03

148.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.31 ฿43.62

222.90%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$2.18 ฿72.9

70.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 $15.09

$16.65 ฿556

-9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$2.76 ฿92.2

376.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.09 $20.09

$9.11 ฿304

120.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.39 ฿80.0

97.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.03 ฿34.26

58.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$1.63 ฿54.4

215.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$1.50 ฿50.0

219.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.29 ฿43.13

117.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.11 ฿37.03

181.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.72 ฿24.08

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.53 ฿17.59

356.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.72 $10.72

$4.31 ฿144

148.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$17.95 ฿600

-13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.58 ฿52.9

68.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.84 ฿95.0

53.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.86 ฿28.86

111.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.21 ฿40.29

227.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.57 ฿18.99

249.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.24 $44.24

$2.35 ฿78.6

1782.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.44 ฿47.96

-30.56%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

50.41%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-4.35%

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

$267 $267

$62.3 ฿2,083

328.25%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$12.11 ฿405

331.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.6 $80.6

$19.94 ฿666

304.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.16 $45.16

$37.07 ฿1,239

21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$6.50 ฿217

132.62%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$793 ฿26.5K

116.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

60.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$53.7 ฿1,796

20.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 $50.9

$24.62 ฿823

106.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$90.9 ฿3,036

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$71.1 ฿2,378

68.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 $1,812

$455 ฿15.2K

297.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 $1,239

$298 ฿9,954

315.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$908 ฿30.4K

187.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 $2,021

$554 ฿18.5K

264.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,912 $2,912

$1,931 ฿64.5K

50.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 $2,284

$1,445 ฿48.3K

58.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

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 Rock Island, IL: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rock Island, IL

$1.2K 46.5%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 76% $941

Groceries & Markets

Rock Island, IL

$431 16.2%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 45.4% $195

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rock Island, IL

$400 15%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 76.4% $305

Eating Out

Rock Island, IL

$343 12.9%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 77.1% $265

Clothing & Footwear

Rock Island, IL

$154 5.8%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 29.9% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Rock Island, IL

$75 2.8%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 33.6% $25

Getting Around

Rock Island, IL

$21 * 0.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 187% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,812 in Rock Island, IL 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Rock Island, IL versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rock Island, IL

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

20:08 8:08 PM

08:08 8:08 AM

12 h ahead of Rock Island, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,108

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

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Rock Island, IL Chiang Mai 13,240 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Rock Island, IL
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

Rock Island, IL vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rock Island, IL costs about 188% 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 $3,995 per month in Rock Island, IL 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 $67.0 in Rock Island, IL 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 83% more in Rock Island, IL, 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 Rock Island, IL at $2,664. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rock Island, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,664 in Rock Island, IL. 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, Rock Island, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.