Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waco, TX and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $2,447 in Waco, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,447 per month in Waco, TX vs $906 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Waco, TX $2,447
Chiang Mai $906

A couple spends around $3,090 per month in Waco, TX vs $1,385 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Waco, TX $3,090
Chiang Mai $1,385

A family of three spends $3,734 per month in Waco, TX vs $1,864 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Waco, TX $3,734
Chiang Mai $1,864

Waco, TX costs about 170% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Waco, TX sits 83% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 $15.21

$2.13 ฿71.4

614.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$19.40 ฿650

204.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$5.47 ฿183

122.67%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$1.68 ฿56.5

220.83%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$0.66 ฿22.11

168.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.34 ฿11.52

338.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.42 ฿81.1

103.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.73 ฿125

47.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$2.06 ฿69.0

-63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.46 ฿48.81

116.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.35 ฿45.11

50.37%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$2.27 ฿76.0

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 $12.06

$16.31 ฿547

-26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$2.70 ฿90.4

259.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$9.20 ฿308

26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.39 ฿80.2

60.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.04 ฿34.68

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.60 ฿53.7

141.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.44 ฿48.39

157.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.30 ฿43.62

74.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.11 ฿37.32

157.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.70 ฿23.57

151.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.51 ฿17.00

94.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 $8.54

$4.13 ฿138

106.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 $13.49

$17.78 ฿596

-24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.63 ฿54.7

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.87 ฿96.1

32.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.86 ฿28.77

79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.12 $40.12

$53.2 ฿1,781

-24.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 $9.93

$1.22 ฿40.84

713.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.56 ฿18.82

239.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 $59.4

$2.31 ฿77.5

2472.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.50 ฿50.2

-40.67%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$20.9K ฿698.7K

73.67%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.7K ฿895.6K

-6.43%

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

$175 $175

$61.3 ฿2,052

186.40%

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

$40.53 $40.53

$12.50 ฿419

224.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 $54.7

$20.36 ฿682

168.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.96 $27.96

$37.94 ฿1,271

-26.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 $9.07

$6.60 ฿221

37.42%

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

$747 $747

$774 ฿25.9K

-3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$14.4K ฿483.5K

25.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 $47.91

$54.8 ฿1,836

-12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.27 $38.27

$25.26 ฿846

51.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$90.6 ฿3,034

-5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 $95.4

$73.3 ฿2,454

30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 $1,244

$459 ฿15.4K

171.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$294 ฿9,841

352.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 $1,541

$919 ฿30.8K

67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$552 ฿18.5K

148.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 $1,970

$1,917 ฿64.2K

2.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,955 $1,955

$1,445 ฿48.4K

35.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,156 $3,156

$592 ฿19.8K

432.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

5.57

16.52%

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

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55%

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8% 77.9% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Waco, TX

$312 12.9%

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6% 24.5% $77

Eating Out

Waco, TX

$272 11.3%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4% 71.6% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waco, TX

$271 11.2%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 65.2% $177

Clothing & Footwear

Waco, TX

$120 5%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9% 8.6% $10

Getting Around

Waco, TX

$66 2.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 7.8% $5.1

Sport & Entertainment

Waco, TX

$46 1.9%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 10.9% $5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,244 in Waco, TX versus $459 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 433% higher in Waco, TX, 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 $59.0 in Waco, TX versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $236 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

08:54 8:54 AM

20:54 8:54 PM

12 h ahead of Waco, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,486

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 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 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 33.5 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Waco, TX Chiang Mai 14,160 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Waco, TX
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

Waco, TX vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waco, TX costs about 170% 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 $3,670 per month in Waco, TX and $1,359 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 $747 per month in Waco, TX and $774 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Waco, TX, 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 $906, than in Waco, TX at $2,447. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waco, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $2,447 in Waco, TX. 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, Waco, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.