Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Gouna Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Gouna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $464 in El Gouna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in El Gouna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $997 in El Gouna, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 101% more than El Gouna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Gouna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, El Gouna 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$3.64 E£189

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$15.72 E£819

24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.72 E£246

20.13%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.47 E£76.6

23.13%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.29 E£14.93

165.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.10 E£5.13

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.21 E£62.9

82.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.02 E£157

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$0.93 E£48.24

120.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 E£29.87

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.66 E£34.25

112.12%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.45 E£75.6

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$3.31 E£173

389.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$4.16 E£217

-30.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.67 E£451

8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.49 E£77.6

79.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.54 E£28.06

101.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$0.40 E£20.72

305.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$0.40 E£20.61

265.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.38 E£19.76

236.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.40 E£20.99

165.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.24 E£12.55

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.17 E£8.98

211.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.90 E£99.0

122.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.51 E£339

180.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.26 E£65.7

29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.79 E£93.2

62.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.21 E£11.08

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.38 E£19.81

207.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.31 E£16.16

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$1.97 E£102

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.33 E£17.27

339.39%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$35.1K E£1.8M

-40.12%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$33.7K E£1.8M

-21.50%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$11.76 E£613

441.24%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$6.87 E£358

87.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$11.12 E£579

84.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$20.53 E£1,069

90.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$3.00 E£156

119.33%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$90.2 E£4,695

769.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,832 E£95.4K

700.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$27.60 E£1,437

99.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$44.67 E£2,326

-44.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$109 E£5,698

-13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$51.2 E£2,664

44.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$190 E£9,878

158.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$98.7 E£5,138

192.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$271 E£14.1K

229.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$155 E£8,048

237.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$803 E£41.8K

145.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$500 E£26.0K

188.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.67

-66.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for El Gouna: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $190 in El Gouna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in El Gouna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $122 – making El Gouna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 El Gouna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 101% more than El Gouna, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $696 in El Gouna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Gouna, 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 $16.00 in El Gouna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Gouna, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In El Gouna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Gouna costs $464 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 El Gouna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.