Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Bernardino, CA and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $2,856 in San Bernardino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in San Bernardino, CA
Learn more

San Bernardino, CA Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

San Bernardino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,856

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,856 per month in San Bernardino, CA vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Bernardino, CA $2,856
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $4,354 per month in San Bernardino, CA vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Bernardino, CA $4,354
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $5,853 per month in San Bernardino, CA vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Bernardino, CA $5,853
Chiang Mai $1,914

San Bernardino, CA costs about 204% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

San Bernardino, CA sits 112% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$2.26 ฿75.4

785.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$19.18 ฿641

298.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 $16.54

$5.59 ฿187

195.89%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$1.72 ฿57.6

241.28%

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

$3.54 $3.54

$0.64 ฿21.54

453.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.33 ฿11.18

612.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 $7.30

$2.36 ฿78.7

209.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.38 $9.38

$3.90 ฿130

140.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.05 ฿68.6

-46.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.40 ฿46.70

180.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$1.28 ฿42.89

266.41%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.25 ฿75.3

108.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$16.94 ฿566

-23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$2.74 ฿91.6

216.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$9.36 ฿313

63.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.40 ฿80.3

94.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.01 ฿33.92

77.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.61 ฿53.9

151.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$1.52 ฿50.7

273.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.28 ฿42.90

182.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.11 ฿37.22

99.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.72 ฿24.09

176.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.52 ฿17.54

257.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$4.33 ฿145

171.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$17.73 ฿593

-16.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.63 ฿54.4

30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.85 ฿95.3

51.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.85 ฿28.31

142.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$53.9 ฿1,801

10.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.83 $9.83

$1.17 ฿39.18

740.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.45 ฿48.32

1.38%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$20.5K ฿684.3K

78.19%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-3.09%

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

$216 $216

$62.3 ฿2,083

246.00%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$12.27 ฿410

443.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$19.97 ฿668

267.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 $39.64

$37.91 ฿1,267

4.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$15.33 $15.33

$6.71 ฿224

128.46%

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

$1,143 $1,143

$797 ฿26.6K

43.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K $17.4K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

17.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$53.3 ฿1,780

17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.37 $47.37

$25.05 ฿837

89.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$91.6 ฿3,062

15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$73.5 ฿2,455

97.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 $1,775

$464 ฿15.5K

282.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

$305 ฿10.2K

373.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$915 ฿30.6K

173.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,783 $2,783

$552 ฿18.5K

403.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,608 $3,608

$1,912 ฿63.9K

88.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,635 $3,635

$1,438 ฿48.1K

152.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,468 $3,468

$595 ฿19.9K

482.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

5.57

14.72%

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

Last update for San Bernardino, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Bernardino, CA

$1.4K 50.5%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 78.9% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

San Bernardino, CA

$389 13.6%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 38.8% $151

Eating Out

San Bernardino, CA

$359 12.6%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 78% $280

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Bernardino, CA

$356 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 73.4% $261

Clothing & Footwear

San Bernardino, CA

$162 5.7%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 32.6% $53

Getting Around

San Bernardino, CA

$78 * 2.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 20.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

San Bernardino, CA

$70 2.5%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 27% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,775 in San Bernardino, CA versus $464 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 483% higher in San Bernardino, CA, 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 $76.0 in San Bernardino, CA versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Bernardino, CA

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

00:58 12:58 AM

14 h ahead of San Bernardino, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

220,000

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Bernardino, CA Chiang Mai 12,990 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

San Bernardino, CA
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

San Bernardino, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Bernardino, CA costs about 204% 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 $4,284 per month in San Bernardino, CA and $1,408 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,143 per month in San Bernardino, CA and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in San Bernardino, CA, 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 $938, than in San Bernardino, CA at $2,856. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Bernardino, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $2,856 in San Bernardino, CA. 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, San Bernardino, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.