✦ Compare
Austin vs
Chiang Mai
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Chiang Mai, TH, you'd need
$37,262 / year
Chiang Mai, TH is 50% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Chiang Mai, TH vs Austin, TX)
- Housing-61%
- Food & groceries-51%
- Transport-60%
- Utilities-29%
- Healthcare-40%
- Goods & services-41%
▤ Full comparison
| Austin, TX | Chiang Mai, TH | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 98 | 49 |
| Housing | 109 | 42 |
| Food | 91 | 45 |
| Transport | 94 | 38 |
| Utilities | 92 | 65 |
| Healthcare | 91 | 55 |
| Goods & services | 94 | 55 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,650/mo | $450/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,300/mo | $300/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $3,000/mo | $900/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $5,000 | $1,800 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,023 | $2,059 |
| Inexpensive meal | $17 | $3 |
| Monthly transit pass | $42 | — |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 37% | 35% |
| VAT / sales tax | 0% | 7% |
| Social security (employee) | 7.7% | — |
| Corporate tax | 21% | 20% |
| Capital gains | 20% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $4,300/mo | $800/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,257/mo | $300/mo |
| GDP per capita | $90,027 | $8,057 |
| Inflation (annual) | — | -0.1% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | Native | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 60 | 50 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 | UTC+7 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 58 | 65 |
| Healthcare index | 76 | 70 |
| Pollution index | 40 | 70 |
| Internet speed | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 42 | 45 |
| Public transport | 40 | 30 |
| Family-friendly | 65 | 62 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Health insurance | $450/mo | — |
| Life expectancy | 79 yr | 77 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +11 °C | +22 °C |
| July avg | +30 °C | +28 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 228 | 240 |
| Rainfall / year | 870 mm | 1,150 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1.5 h | 2 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Thailand. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Austin to Chiang Mai: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Austin to Chiang Mai, your cost of living will be roughly 50% cheaper. Chiang Mai’s cost-of-living index is 49 versus 98 for Austin (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Austin cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is about 50% cheaper than Austin overall — its cost-of-living index is 49 versus 98 for Austin.
How much do you need to earn in Chiang Mai to live like in Austin?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Austin is worth about $37,262 in Chiang Mai. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Chiang Mai?
Thailand has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 37% in United States.
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Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.