Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Borjomi

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $979 in Borjomi, rent and utilities included – about $650 less a year. The total is higher in Borjomi despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Borjomi
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Borjomi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Borjomi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Borjomi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Borjomi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $979 in Borjomi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Borjomi $979

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,422 in Borjomi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Borjomi $1,422

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,866 in Borjomi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Borjomi $1,866

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Borjomi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Borjomi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Borjomi 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$11.66 ₾30.18

-80.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$30.42 ₾78.7

-35.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$8.68 ₾22.46

-35.37%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.16 ₾5.58

-23.15%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.73 ₾1.90

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.28 ₾0.73

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.79 ₾4.62

34.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.26 ₾5.84

64.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.84 ₾4.76

5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.54 ₾1.41

161.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.65 ₾4.27

-20.61%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.34 ₾6.06

-6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$8.71 ₾22.55

91.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.89 ₾15.26

-53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$9.91 ₾25.64

-8.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$0.80 ₾2.06

198.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$2.01 ₾5.21

-48.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.30 ₾3.38

25.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.31 ₾3.40

14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.56 ₾1.44

130.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.48 ₾1.24

131.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.13 ₾2.92

-36.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.41 ₾1.05

29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$3.21 ₾8.31

34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$5.83 ₾15.08

207.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.13 ₾2.93

39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.56 ₾4.03

82.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.38 ₾0.98

126.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.17 ₾3.03

3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.41 ₾1.06

39.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$5.89 ₾15.25

-60.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.09 ₾2.83

32.11%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$16.0K ₾41.5K

29.18%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$20.8K ₾53.9K

28.69%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$34.62 ₾89.6

80.04%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$9.09 ₾23.52

33.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$13.57 ₾35.13

46.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$115 ₾297

-67.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$7.01 ₾18.16

-7.28%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$301 ₾779

163.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$3,154 ₾8,166

369.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$95.6 ₾248

-43.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$39.47 ₾102

-37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$131 ₾340

-30.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$116 ₾300

-38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$310 ₾803

46.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$268 ₾694

11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$468 ₾1,211

94.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$228 ₾591

142.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,177 ₾3,047

64.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$697 ₾1,805

107.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$472 ₾1,222

25.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-53.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Borjomi: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Borjomi

$268 27.4% 10% $30

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Borjomi

$185 18.9% 21.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Borjomi

$172 17.6% 59% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Borjomi

$57 5.9% 39.3% $37

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Borjomi

$163 16.6% 107% $84

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Borjomi

$4.7 * 0.5% 92.2% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Borjomi

$129 13.2% 158% $79

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $310 in Borjomi. 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 25% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Borjomi. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Borjomi – so Borjomi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇬🇪 Borjomi

🕒 Local time

23:12 11:12 PM

20:12 8:12 PM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

11,194

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

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).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Borjomi 5,800 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Borjomi

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

Chiang Mai vs Borjomi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Borjomi is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,469 in Borjomi. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Borjomi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Borjomi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Borjomi at $979. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Borjomi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 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, Borjomi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.