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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $993 in Gili Trawangan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,737 in Gili Trawangan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,481 in Gili Trawangan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Gili Trawangan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Gili Trawangan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Gili Trawangan 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$2.28 Rp 39.1K

-14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$21.70 Rp 372.9K

-15.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.27 Rp 56.2K

129.36%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.83 Rp 31.5K

5.46%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.92 Rp 15.8K

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.49 Rp 8,464

-34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.01 Rp 34.5K

6.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

46.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.93 Rp 33.1K

-19.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.94 Rp 16.2K

25.53%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.87 Rp 32.2K

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$10.91 Rp 187.5K

47.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$3.33 Rp 57.2K

-4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$9.18 Rp 157.8K

19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.87 Rp 49.3K

-8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.18 Rp 20.3K

-0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.16 Rp 37.1K

-23.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.71 Rp 29.3K

-9.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.52 Rp 26.1K

-9.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.67 Rp 28.6K

-29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.82 Rp 14.1K

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.55 Rp 9,459

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.53 Rp 43.4K

78.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$18.15 Rp 312.0K

0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.16 Rp 37.1K

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.10 Rp 36.1K

51.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.23 Rp 3,950

291.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$6.86 Rp 117.9K

176.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.41 Rp 7,084

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.36 Rp 6,173

263.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.36 Rp 92.0K

50.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.74 Rp 12.7K

72.97%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$22.0K Rp 377.5M

-3.06%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$27.4K Rp 471.0M

-20.80%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

3.21%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$3.39 Rp 58.3K

312.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$20.03 Rp 344.2K

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

-38.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$4.65 Rp 79.9K

43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$2.79 Rp 48.0K

112.19%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$218 Rp 3.8M

37.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,855 Rp 83.4M

205.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$47.20 Rp 811.2K

19.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$32.73 Rp 562.5K

-17.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$76.5 Rp 1.3M

10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$602 Rp 10.3M

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$412 Rp 7.1M

-41.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$2,057 Rp 35.3M

-61.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,244 Rp 21.4M

-59.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,829 Rp 31.4M

9.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,424 Rp 24.5M

7.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Gili Trawangan: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $602 in Gili Trawangan. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Gili Trawangan. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Gili Trawangan – so Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gili Trawangan costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,490 in Gili Trawangan. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $218 in Gili Trawangan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Gili Trawangan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Gili Trawangan at $993. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gili Trawangan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $993 in Gili Trawangan. 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, Gili Trawangan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.