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 $1,058 in George, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,752 in George, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,445 in George, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$11.39 R 187

-82.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$38.28 R 630

-51.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.97 R 81.8

58.15%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.96 R 32.34

3.57%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.50 R 24.66

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.16 R 19.15

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.57 R 42.36

-16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.00 R 49.44

22.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.16 R 19.07

49.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.07 R 17.57

46.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.65 R 27.18

-27.27%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.90 R 47.66

-32.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.32 R 154

74.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.75 R 78.2

-35.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.49 R 123

44.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.76 R 28.94

57.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.67 R 27.50

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.42 R 23.39

20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.61 R 26.47

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.54 R 25.27

-9.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.67 R 27.48

-30.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.28 R 21.04

-48.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.95 R 15.64

-45.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.17 R 52.2

46.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.69 R 77.3

279.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.21 R 19.89

47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.57 R 25.84

112.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.77 R 12.67

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.56 R 421

-27.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.15 R 18.92

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.96 R 15.81

39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.92 R 64.5

106.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.19 R 19.59

3.36%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.3K R 350.1K

0.80%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$21.1K R 346.7K

3.61%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$126 R 2,074

-43.38%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$16.00 R 263

-12.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$51.5 R 847

-65.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$27.54 R 453

48.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$11.38 R 187

-39.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.47 R 90.1

4.57%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$128 R 2,104

141.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,782 R 78.7K

206.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$73.9 R 1,217

-24.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$32.24 R 531

-19.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$98.0 R 1,613

-13.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$87.5 R 1,441

-18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$403 R 6,639

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$325 R 5,343

-25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$709 R 11.7K

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$808 R 13.3K

-37.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$352 R 5,802

444.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$240 R 3,957

509.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,311 R 21.6K

-54.60%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for George: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $403 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 120% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $190 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 24% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,587 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $128 in George. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 $1,058 in George, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,058 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.