Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,876 in University Place, WA, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in University Place, WA 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 University Place, WA and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,876 per month in University Place, WA vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

University Place, WA $2,876
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $4,279 per month in University Place, WA vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

University Place, WA $4,279
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $5,682 per month in University Place, WA vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

University Place, WA $5,682
Chiang Mai $1,999

University Place, WA costs about 207% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

University Place, WA sits 113% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.38 $23.38

$2.13 ฿71.4

997.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$18.62 ฿623

440.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$5.60 ฿187

116.96%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$1.66 ฿55.6

266.27%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$0.65 ฿21.63

380.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$0.30 ฿10.20

946.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$2.32 ฿77.7

241.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$3.67 ฿123

114.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.02 ฿67.4

-45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.41 ฿47.08

187.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$1.39 ฿46.54

328.06%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$2.37 ฿79.2

109.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 $16.11

$16.52 ฿552

-2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.19 $18.19

$2.67 ฿89.3

581.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.33 $23.33

$9.02 ฿302

158.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.40 ฿80.2

146.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.04 ฿34.82

70.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$1.66 ฿55.5

234.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.56 ฿52.1

187.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.24 ฿41.39

180.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.09 ฿36.34

158.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.76 ฿25.47

157.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.51 ฿17.19

500.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.43 $12.43

$4.12 ฿138

201.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.17 $18.17

$17.93 ฿600

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.62 ฿54.3

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.82 ฿94.4

75.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.93 ฿31.25

129.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 $65.8

$52.9 ฿1,769

24.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.18 ฿39.35

125.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.17 ฿5.73

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.49 $30.49

$1.81 ฿60.6

1584.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.47 ฿49.25

-1.36%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$21.0K ฿702.6K

32.79%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.5K ฿886.7K

-0.09%

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

$233 $233

$62.6 ฿2,092

272.47%

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

$68.7 $68.7

$11.60 ฿388

492.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.6 $88.6

$20.30 ฿679

336.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$37.88 ฿1,267

4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 $17.88

$6.51 ฿218

174.65%

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

$2,087 $2,087

$727 ฿24.3K

187.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K $27.9K

$16.6K ฿554.2K

68.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 $60.3

$53.5 ฿1,790

12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.90 $44.90

$24.80 ฿829

81.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 $130

$90.4 ฿3,023

43.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$72.0 ฿2,407

77.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$481 ฿16.1K

226.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$310 ฿10.4K

313.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$1,058 ฿35.4K

145.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 $2,111

$659 ฿22.0K

220.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,918 $2,918

$2,418 ฿80.8K

20.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,644 $2,644

$1,609 ฿53.8K

64.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,149 $8,149

$595 ฿19.9K

1270.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.57

19.21%

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

Last update for University Place, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

University Place, WA

$1.3K 44.5%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 75.8% $970

Groceries & Markets

University Place, WA

$505 17.6%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 53.1% $268

Monthly Utilities & Internet

University Place, WA

$390 13.6%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 75.8% $296

Eating Out

University Place, WA

$377 13.1%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 79.7% $300

Clothing & Footwear

University Place, WA

$163 5.7%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 33.6% $55

Getting Around

University Place, WA

$85 3%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 31.3% $27

Sport & Entertainment

University Place, WA

$75 2.6%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 32.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in University Place, WA versus $481 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 in University Place, WA are about 14 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in University Place, WA versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

22:18 10:18 PM

15 h ahead of University Place, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,866

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 November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Between locations

University Place, WA Chiang Mai 11,580 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

University Place, WA
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

University Place, WA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

University Place, WA costs about 207% 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 $4,314 per month in University Place, WA and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $1,573 in University Place, WA.

Kindergarten costs $2,087 per month in University Place, WA and $727 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% more in University Place, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,876 in University Place, WA and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, University Place, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.