Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdez, AK and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,943 in Valdez, AK, rent and utilities included – about $24,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Valdez, AK
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Valdez, AK Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,943

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,943 per month in Valdez, AK vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valdez, AK $2,943
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $4,126 per month in Valdez, AK vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valdez, AK $4,126
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $5,310 per month in Valdez, AK vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valdez, AK $5,310
Chiang Mai $1,999

Valdez, AK costs about 215% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Valdez, AK sits 118% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.24 $23.24

$2.13 ฿71.8

991.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$18.62 ฿626

445.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.05 $20.05

$5.60 ฿188

258.04%

Cappuccino

$4.28 $4.28

$1.66 ฿55.9

157.83%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$0.65 ฿21.75

281.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.30 ฿10.25

670.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$2.32 ฿78.1

194.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.74 $8.74

$3.67 ฿123

138.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.02 ฿67.8

-49.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.41 ฿47.34

159.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.39 ฿46.79

212.95%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.37 ฿79.6

81.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 $12.67

$16.52 ฿555

-23.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$2.67 ฿89.8

329.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.01 $17.01

$9.02 ฿303

88.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.40 ฿80.6

112.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.04 ฿35.01

55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.66 ฿55.8

157.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.56 ฿52.4

205.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.24 ฿41.61

134.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.09 ฿36.53

166.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.76 ฿25.61

190.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.51 ฿17.29

350.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.34 $10.34

$4.12 ฿139

150.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$17.93 ฿603

-14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.62 ฿54.6

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.82 ฿94.9

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.93 ฿31.42

112.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 $67.7

$52.9 ฿1,778

28.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.18 ฿39.56

222.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.17 ฿5.76

835.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.19 $32.19

$1.81 ฿60.9

1678.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.47 ฿49.51

-10.20%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$21.0K ฿706.4K

24.82%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.5K ฿891.4K

3.57%

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

$300 $300

$62.6 ฿2,103

380.26%

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

$56.7 $56.7

$11.60 ฿390

388.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.7 $97.7

$20.30 ฿683

381.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 $40.05

$37.88 ฿1,274

5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$14.02 $14.02

$6.51 ฿219

115.36%

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

$1,469 $1,469

$727 ฿24.4K

102.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$16.6K ฿557.2K

16.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$53.5 ฿1,800

4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 $44.42

$24.80 ฿834

79.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$90.4 ฿3,039

-1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$72.0 ฿2,420

79.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 $1,618

$481 ฿16.2K

236.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$310 ฿10.4K

357.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,669 $2,669

$1,058 ฿35.6K

152.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$659 ฿22.1K

203.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$2,418 ฿81.3K

32.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$1,609 ฿54.1K

49.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,408 $7,408

$595 ฿20.0K

1145.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.57

18.31%

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

Last update for Valdez, AK: 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

Valdez, AK

$1.4K 48.2%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 78.2% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valdez, AK

$455 15.5%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 79.2% $360

Groceries & Markets

Valdez, AK

$402 13.7%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 41.1% $165

Eating Out

Valdez, AK

$368 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 79.2% $292

Clothing & Footwear

Valdez, AK

$143 4.9%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 24.5% $35

Getting Around

Valdez, AK

$87 3%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 32.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Valdez, AK

$68 2.3%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 25.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,618 in Valdez, AK 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 Valdez, AK are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Valdez, AK versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Valdez, AK

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:15 2:15 PM

06:15 6:15 AM

16 h ahead of Valdez, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,000

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 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 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Valdez, AK Chiang Mai 9,430 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Valdez, AK
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

Valdez, AK vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdez, AK costs about 215% 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 $4,414 per month in Valdez, AK 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 $1,618 in Valdez, AK.

Kindergarten costs $1,469 per month in Valdez, AK 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 70% more in Valdez, AK, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,943 in Valdez, AK 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, Valdez, AK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.