Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fort Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fort Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $892 in Fort Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,535 in Fort Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,177 in Fort Wellington, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Fort Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Fort Wellington are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Fort Wellington 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$12.10 GYD 2,516

-83.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$71.2 GYD 14.8K

-73.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.86 GYD 1,841

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.12 GYD 1,065

-61.91%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.21 GYD 251

-29.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.69 GYD 144

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.98 GYD 412

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.41 GYD 501

54.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.45 GYD 717

-50.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.12 GYD 442

-23.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.00 GYD 415

-43.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.11 GYD 855

-53.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.65 GYD 2,838

18.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.25 GYD 1,300

-50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.71 GYD 2,019

12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$9.68 GYD 2,011

-71.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.56 GYD 533

-52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.19 GYD 663

-49.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$6.49 GYD 1,350

-75.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.41 GYD 502

-41.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.95 GYD 614

-60.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.37 GYD 492

-72.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.52 GYD 316

-65.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.63 GYD 546

78.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$16.98 GYD 3,531

9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.76 GYD 366

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.44 GYD 508

32.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.05 GYD 633

-53.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$11.95 GYD 2,484

-34.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.00 GYD 208

27.00%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$21.9K GYD 4.6M

-2.94%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$17.3K GYD 3.6M

28.19%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$90.6 GYD 18.8K

-23.79%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$27.40 GYD 5,697

-48.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$52.1 GYD 10.8K

-65.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.77 GYD 1,408

-12.56%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$1,007 GYD 209.3K

-70.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

-34.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$35.06 GYD 7,289

56.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$53.7 GYD 11.2K

-50.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$130 GYD 27.1K

-34.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

-7.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$981 GYD 203.9K

-37.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fort Wellington: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 59% higher in Fort Wellington, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $71.0 in Fort Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $379 – making Chiang Mai 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 Fort Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Wellington costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,339 in Fort Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $71.0 in Fort Wellington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Fort Wellington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $892 in Fort Wellington, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $892 in Fort Wellington. 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, Fort Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.