Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gili Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gili Air

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $847 in Gili Air, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,486 in Gili Air, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,126 in Gili Air, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Gili Air, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gili Air are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gili Air 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$17.51 Rp 313.7K

7.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

194.68%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

29.73%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 Rp 7,213

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.07 Rp 37.1K

76.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

-10.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

38.37%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.58 Rp 189.5K

51.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

-2.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.63 Rp 154.7K

25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

4.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

-17.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

-1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.52 Rp 9,239

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

103.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$16.39 Rp 293.6K

1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

-7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

58.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.21 Rp 3,752

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$6.72 Rp 120.4K

178.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.37 Rp 6,610

267.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.37 Rp 6,548

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.87 Rp 87.2K

60.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

80.88%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$20.8K Rp 372.1M

4.13%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$25.5K Rp 457.2M

-11.65%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

11.24%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.20 Rp 57.4K

327.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.44 Rp 348.3K

-10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$55.8 Rp 999.2K

-25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

80.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

148.71%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$202 Rp 3.6M

52.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,454 Rp 79.8M

228.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$44.23 Rp 792.4K

26.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$31.05 Rp 556.3K

-15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

19.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$478 Rp 8.6M

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$320 Rp 5.7M

-25.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,597 Rp 28.6M

-48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$973 Rp 17.4M

-47.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,323 Rp 23.7M

49.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,060 Rp 19.0M

39.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-62.35%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $478 in Gili Air. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Gili Air. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $213 – making Gili Air 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 Gili Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Gili Air, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,270 in Gili Air. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $202 in Gili Air. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $847 in Gili Air, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gili Air costs $847 versus $869 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 Gili Air. 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.