Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and George Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and George

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in George, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,760 in George, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,441 in George, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than George, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and George are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, George 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.17 R 187

-82.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$37.91 R 636

-50.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.12 R 85.8

54.69%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.93 R 32.44

-1.04%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.52 R 25.52

-44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.21 R 20.29

-71.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.53 R 42.50

-12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.97 R 49.75

27.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.10 R 18.48

49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.10 R 18.51

47.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.60 R 26.82

-26.25%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.99 R 50.1

-32.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.74 R 163

63.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.71 R 78.9

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.71 R 129

39.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.76 R 29.55

48.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.62 R 27.18

-24.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.43 R 24.00

18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.55 R 25.97

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.57 R 26.30

-15.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.77 R 29.71

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.28 R 21.46

-47.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.94 R 15.83

-40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.12 R 52.4

45.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.71 R 79.0

286.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.21 R 20.28

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.61 R 26.94

100.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.77 R 12.90

15.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$25.75 R 432

-24.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.14 R 19.06

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.88 R 14.83

53.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.07 R 68.3

102.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.17 R 19.69

8.55%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$20.9K R 350.9K

1.11%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.5K R 344.5K

9.47%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$129 R 2,161

-45.57%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$15.95 R 268

-13.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$52.4 R 878

-66.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$27.18 R 456

52.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$11.30 R 190

-41.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.73 R 96.1

0.87%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$125 R 2,097

144.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,785 R 80.3K

209.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$72.5 R 1,216

-25.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$31.91 R 535

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$98.3 R 1,649

-14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$88.3 R 1,480

-21.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$390 R 6,537

8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$332 R 5,564

-28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$721 R 12.1K

14.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$784 R 13.2K

-34.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$720 R 12.1K

184.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$542 R 9,093

180.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,327 R 22.3K

-52.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

-54.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for George: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $390 in George. 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 109% higher in George, 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 $38.00 in George. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $192 in George – so George wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,617 in George. 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.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $125 in George. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,078 in George, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,078 in George. 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, George makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.