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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,650 per month in Rock Island, IL vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,982 per month in Rock Island, IL vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,315 per month in Rock Island, IL vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rock Island, IL costs about 180% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rock Island, IL sits 93% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$2.08 ฿68.5

855.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.8 $98.8

$19.64 ฿646

403.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$5.65 ฿186

111.68%

Cappuccino

$6.56 $6.56

$1.81 ฿59.3

262.43%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$0.71 ฿23.44

333.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.32 ฿10.38

662.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.24 ฿73.5

116.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.63 ฿119

59.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.96 ฿64.4

-56.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.50 ฿49.38

94.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.34 ฿43.92

139.55%

Eggs

$3.86 $3.86

$2.26 ฿74.4

70.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 $9.37

$16.26 ฿534

-42.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.02 $17.02

$2.95 ฿97.1

476.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 $19.40

$9.94 ฿327

95.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.57 ฿84.5

102.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.06 ฿34.72

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.61 ฿53.0

206.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.52 ฿49.96

153.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.27 ฿41.76

117.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.07 ฿35.05

105.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.72 ฿23.67

286.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.51 ฿16.72

484.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 $9.10

$4.19 ฿138

117.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$17.87 ฿587

-15.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.69 ฿55.7

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.84 ฿93.2

3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.93 ฿30.42

129.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.23 ฿40.58

58.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.58 ฿18.96

108.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 $19.73

$2.42 ฿79.7

715.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.41 ฿46.42

-32.62%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

67.45%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-10.00%

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

$185 $185

$63.7 ฿2,093

189.89%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$12.85 ฿423

316.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$20.22 ฿665

283.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 $41.93

$38.74 ฿1,274

8.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$6.74 ฿221

125.82%

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

$1,386 $1,386

$778 ฿25.6K

78.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-19.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.0 $76.0

$54.3 ฿1,785

39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 $55.9

$25.45 ฿836

119.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$94.3 ฿3,101

10.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$73.4 ฿2,414

125.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$490 ฿16.1K

265.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 $1,391

$289 ฿9,510

380.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 $2,168

$894 ฿29.4K

142.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 $2,235

$517 ฿17.0K

332.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,688 $2,688

$1,955 ฿64.3K

37.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,146 $2,146

$1,477 ฿48.5K

45.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

5.57

8.26%

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

Last update for Rock Island, IL: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,792 in Rock Island, IL versus $490 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 $99.0 in Rock Island, IL versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $240 – 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

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

Rock Island, IL costs about 180% 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 $3,974 per month in Rock Island, IL and $1,421 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 $99.0 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 73% 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 $947, than in Rock Island, IL at $2,650. 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 $947 versus $2,650 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.