Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Silver City, NM and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,550 in Silver City, NM, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Silver City, NM
🇺🇸 United States
$2,550
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Silver City, NM 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 Silver City, NM and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,550 per month in Silver City, NM vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Silver City, NM $2,550
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $3,732 per month in Silver City, NM vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Silver City, NM $3,732
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $4,915 per month in Silver City, NM vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Silver City, NM $4,915
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Silver City, NM costs about 176% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Silver City, NM sits 88% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.28 $19.28
$2.29 ฿76.5
741.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.2 $80.2
$19.64 ฿656
308.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.98 $12.98
$5.61 ฿188
131.37%
Cappuccino
$5.22 $5.22
$1.66 ฿55.6
214.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 $2.70
$0.70 ฿23.40
285.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 $1.42
$0.31 ฿10.24
358.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.20 $7.20
$2.41 ฿80.4
198.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.80 $6.80
$3.71 ฿124
83.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.80 $0.80
$1.95 ฿65.3
-58.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.36 $3.36
$1.41 ฿47.03
138.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.31 ฿43.62
95.42%
Eggs
$4.79 $4.79
$2.18 ฿72.9
119.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.57 $13.57
$16.65 ฿556
-18.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.89 $10.89
$2.76 ฿92.2
294.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 $16.97
$9.11 ฿304
86.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.45 $4.45
$2.39 ฿80.0
86.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.03 ฿34.26
66.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$1.63 ฿54.4
141.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 $4.09
$1.50 ฿50.0
172.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.29 ฿43.13
96.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 $2.48
$1.11 ฿37.03
123.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 $2.16
$0.72 ฿24.08
200.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 $1.51
$0.53 ฿17.59
184.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.07 $11.07
$4.31 ฿144
156.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.25 $13.25
$17.95 ฿600
-26.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.58 ฿52.9
61.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 $3.69
$2.84 ฿95.0
29.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 $2.30
$0.86 ฿28.86
167.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.77 $2.77
$1.21 ฿40.29
128.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 $1.41
$0.57 ฿18.99
147.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.48 $35.48
$2.35 ฿78.6
1409.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.44 ฿47.96
-36.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K $36.1K
$20.7K ฿692.8K
73.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K $22.1K
$26.8K ฿895.7K
-17.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$201 $201
$62.3 ฿2,083
222.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.0 $62.0
$12.11 ฿405
412.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.4 $74.4
$19.94 ฿666
273.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.48 $40.48
$37.07 ฿1,239
9.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.78 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.95 $12.95
$6.50 ฿217
99.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,082 $1,082
$793 ฿26.5K
36.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.4K $15.4K
$14.8K ฿494.9K
3.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.6 $54.6
$53.7 ฿1,796
1.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.50 $44.50
$24.62 ฿823
80.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.1 $97.1
$90.9 ฿3,036
6.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 $112
$71.1 ฿2,378
58.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 $1,075
$455 ฿15.2K
136.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 $1,294
$298 ฿9,954
334.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 $1,976
$908 ฿30.4K
117.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,127 $2,127
$554 ฿18.5K
284.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,917 $1,917
$1,931 ฿64.5K
-0.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,946 $1,946
$1,445 ฿48.3K
34.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Silver City, NM
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,949 $2,949
$591 ฿19.7K
399.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.44
5.57
15.62%

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

Last update for Silver City, NM: 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
Silver City, NM
$1.3K
Chiang Mai
$298 77% $997
Groceries & Markets
Silver City, NM
$372
Chiang Mai
$235 36.6% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Silver City, NM
$337
Chiang Mai
$94 72% $243
Eating Out
Silver City, NM
$322
Chiang Mai
$79 75.6% $243
Clothing & Footwear
Silver City, NM
$139
Chiang Mai
$108 22.1% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Silver City, NM
$66
Chiang Mai
$50 24.6% $16
Getting Around
Silver City, NM
$19 *
Chiang Mai
$61 220% $42

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,075 in Silver City, NM 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 399% higher in Silver City, NM, 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 $80.0 in Silver City, NM versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Silver City, NM
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
22:58 10:58 PM
11:58 11:58 AM
13 h ahead of Silver City, NM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,700
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Silver City, NM Chiang Mai 13,590 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Silver City, NM
  • 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
Silver City, NM vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Silver City, NM or Chiang Mai?
Silver City, NM costs about 176% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Silver City, NM and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,824 per month in Silver City, NM and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Silver City, NM or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Silver City, NM and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Silver City, NM and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Silver City, NM or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 58% more in Silver City, NM, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Silver City, NM or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Silver City, NM at $2,550. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Silver City, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Silver City, NM or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,550 in Silver City, NM. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Silver City, NM compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Silver City, NM or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Silver City, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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