Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Galcaio

For one person, living is cheaper in Galcaio: $189 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Galcaio

🇸🇴 Somalia

$189

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Galcaio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Galcaio, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Galcaio $189

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $307 in Galcaio, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Galcaio $307

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $425 in Galcaio, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Galcaio $425

Chiang Mai costs about 389% more than Galcaio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Galcaio 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$2.95 SOS 1,673

-22.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$3.92 SOS 2,227

43.11%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$0.98 SOS 558

69.39%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.57 SOS 325

22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.21 SOS 119

47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.53 SOS 869

27.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.49 SOS 277

187.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.73 SOS 412

79.45%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$3.08 SOS 1,748

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$2.04 SOS 1,159

716.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.90 SOS 2,784

-43.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$5.97 SOS 3,390

52.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.95 SOS 1,106

22.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.69 SOS 391

49.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.99 SOS 560

51.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.97 SOS 551

32.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.01 SOS 575

9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.52 SOS 294

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.97 SOS 552

-45.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$0.49 SOS 276

779.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$1.95 SOS 1,108

820.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.96 SOS 1,114

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.96 SOS 1,112

44.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Galcaio

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Galcaio

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Galcaio

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Galcaio

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Galcaio

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Galcaio

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Galcaio

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇴 Galcaio

🕒 Local time

01:00 1:00 AM

21:00 9:00 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

61,200

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Somali Shilling SOS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 SOS = 1.76 USD

1,000 SOS = 1.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SOS, 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).

Somali Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 568 SOS (1,000 SOS = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 639 SOS (1,000 SOS = 1.57 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Galcaio 5,730 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Galcaio

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 Galcaio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 389% more than Galcaio, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $284 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $189 in Galcaio. That's a gap of about 389%.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 Galcaio, where all-in costs run around $189, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Galcaio 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. Galcaio costs $189 versus $925 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 Galcaio. 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.