Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vallejo, CA and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,864 in Vallejo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vallejo, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,864
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,864 per month in Vallejo, CA vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Vallejo, CA $2,864
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $4,660 per month in Vallejo, CA vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Vallejo, CA $4,660
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $6,456 per month in Vallejo, CA vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Vallejo, CA $6,456
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Vallejo, CA costs about 210% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Vallejo, CA sits 111% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.14 $27.14
$2.29 ฿76.5
1085.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.1 $91.1
$19.64 ฿656
363.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 $11.92
$5.61 ฿188
112.48%
Cappuccino
$4.75 $4.75
$1.66 ฿55.6
186.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 $2.80
$0.70 ฿23.40
300.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 $2.77
$0.31 ฿10.24
793.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.80 $7.80
$2.41 ฿80.4
223.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.12 $9.12
$3.71 ฿124
145.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.95 ฿65.3
-27.69%
White Bread (500g)
$4.49 $4.49
$1.41 ฿47.03
218.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.05 $4.05
$1.31 ฿43.62
209.16%
Eggs
$5.04 $5.04
$2.18 ฿72.9
131.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.21 $19.21
$16.65 ฿556
15.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.11 $14.11
$2.76 ฿92.2
411.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.55 $14.55
$9.11 ฿304
59.71%
Apples (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$2.39 ฿80.0
82.01%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.03 ฿34.26
105.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.44 $5.44
$1.63 ฿54.4
233.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.72 $6.72
$1.50 ฿50.0
348.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$1.29 ฿43.13
204.65%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 $3.63
$1.11 ฿37.03
227.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.94 $2.94
$0.72 ฿24.08
308.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.53 ฿17.59
281.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.90 $9.90
$4.31 ฿144
129.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 $10.02
$17.95 ฿600
-44.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.58 ฿52.9
6.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.84 ฿95.0
-25.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.06 $5.06
$0.86 ฿28.86
488.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.6 $70.6
$53.3 ฿1,780
32.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 $4.08
$1.21 ฿40.29
237.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 $1.89
$0.57 ฿18.99
231.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.40 $28.40
$2.35 ฿78.6
1108.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 $1.36
$1.44 ฿47.96
-5.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$20.7K ฿692.8K
34.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$26.8K ฿895.7K
-8.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 $139
$62.3 ฿2,083
123.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.45 $48.45
$12.11 ฿405
300.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.4 $71.4
$19.94 ฿666
258.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.60 $37.60
$37.07 ฿1,239
1.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.67 $10.67
$3.78 ฿126
182.28%
Cinema Ticket
$12.84 $12.84
$6.50 ฿217
97.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$709 $709
$793 ฿26.5K
-10.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,966 $7,966
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-46.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.01 $42.01
$53.7 ฿1,796
-21.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.83 $36.83
$24.62 ฿823
49.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.3 $85.3
$90.9 ฿3,036
-6.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.3 $78.3
$71.1 ฿2,378
10.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 $1,595
$455 ฿15.2K
250.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,494 $1,494
$298 ฿9,954
401.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,191 $3,191
$908 ฿30.4K
251.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,265 $3,265
$554 ฿18.5K
489.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,666 $3,666
$1,931 ฿64.5K
89.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,728 $3,728
$1,445 ฿48.3K
158.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vallejo, CA
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,323 $4,323
$591 ฿19.7K
631.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.46
5.57
15.98%

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

Last update for Vallejo, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vallejo, CA
$1.5K
Chiang Mai
$298 80.1% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Vallejo, CA
$445
Chiang Mai
$235 47.1% $209
Eating Out
Vallejo, CA
$389
Chiang Mai
$79 79.8% $311
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vallejo, CA
$259
Chiang Mai
$94 63.6% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Vallejo, CA
$109
Chiang Mai
$108 0.8% $0.9
Getting Around
Vallejo, CA
$104
Chiang Mai
$61 41.8% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Vallejo, CA
$63
Chiang Mai
$50 20.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Vallejo, CA 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 632% higher in Vallejo, 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 $91.0 in Vallejo, CA versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Vallejo, CA
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
04:38 4:38 AM
18:38 6:38 PM
14 h ahead of Vallejo, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
121,692
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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Vallejo, CA Chiang Mai 12,360 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vallejo, 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
Vallejo, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vallejo, CA or Chiang Mai?
Vallejo, CA costs about 210% 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 Vallejo, CA and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,296 per month in Vallejo, CA 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, Vallejo, CA 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 childcare costs compare in Vallejo, CA and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $709 per month in Vallejo, CA and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Vallejo, CA or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 89% more in Vallejo, CA, 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 Vallejo, CA or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Vallejo, CA at $2,864. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vallejo, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Vallejo, CA or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,864 in Vallejo, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Vallejo, CA 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 Vallejo, CA or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vallejo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Vallejo, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?