Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and George

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,110 in George, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in George
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George Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

George

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,110

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,110 in George, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
George $1,110

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,847 in George, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
George $1,847

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,584 in George, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
George $2,584

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than George, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and George are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, George 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$10.85 R 181

-79.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$41.91 R 700

-54.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.95 R 82.6

12.12%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.13 R 35.57

-21.60%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.05 R 17.59

-39.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.78 R 12.95

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.70 R 45.10

-12.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.25 R 54.3

12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.15 R 19.15

69.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.01 R 16.92

42.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.50 R 25.09

-11.33%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.79 R 46.63

-18.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.68 R 145

89.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$5.29 R 88.2

-47.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.70 R 112

38.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.68 R 27.99

39.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.55 R 25.80

-37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.49 R 24.86

7.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.73 R 28.89

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.71 R 28.48

-25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.40 R 23.32

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.25 R 20.82

-43.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.99 R 16.61

-50.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.20 R 53.4

29.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$4.97 R 83.0

252.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.28 R 21.44

25.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.75 R 29.17

58.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$1.48 R 24.63

-41.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$27.91 R 466

93.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.64 R 10.67

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.48 R 7.95

10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$8.64 R 144

-71.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.25 R 20.87

16.00%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$29.9K R 499.3K

-29.60%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$30.0K R 500.5K

-10.14%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$123 R 2,052

-49.43%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$17.56 R 293

-30.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$46.26 R 772

-56.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$30.43 R 508

22.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$10.78 R 180

-65.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.93 R 98.9

9.44%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$139 R 2,324

428.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$5,219 R 87.1K

182.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$72.1 R 1,203

-25.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$38.64 R 645

-36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$112 R 1,864

-18.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$86.8 R 1,448

-17.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$429 R 7,163

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$362 R 6,051

-14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$770 R 12.9K

30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$935 R 15.6K

-32.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$855 R 14.3K

176.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$690 R 11.5K

130.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,339 R 22.4K

-55.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.92

-48.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for George: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

George

$362 32.6% 17.3% $54

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

George

$188 17% 19.6% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

George

$139 12.5% 28% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

George

$187 16.8% 97.7% $92

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

George

$155 13.9% 99.2% $77

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

George

$37 3.3% 40% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

George

$42 3.8% 15.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $429 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 in George are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $42 in George. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in George – so George wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇿🇦 George

🕒 Local time

12:43 12:43 PM

07:43 7:43 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

188,580

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ZAR = 5.99 USD

100 ZAR = 5.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 16.69 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.99 USD). 1 EUR = 18.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.37 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai George 9,990 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
George

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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,666 in George. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in George, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $429 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $139 in George. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in George – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,110 in George. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,110 in George. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, George makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.