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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $970 in Gili Trawangan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Gili Trawangan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,268 in Gili Trawangan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Gili Trawangan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Gili Trawangan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Gili Trawangan 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.0

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

-8.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿653

$24.20 Rp 426.2K

-18.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿190

$3.80 Rp 66.8K

52.37%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.78 Rp 31.3K

2.81%

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

$0.78 ฿25.49

$1.22 Rp 21.4K

-36.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.53 Rp 9,330

-41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.8

$1.96 Rp 34.6K

19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.96 Rp 52.1K

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.8

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

65.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.5

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

-6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.53

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

71.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.6

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿523

$13.40 Rp 236.0K

18.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$3.08 Rp 54.2K

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿324

$9.12 Rp 160.6K

8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.4

$2.73 Rp 48.1K

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.02

$1.24 Rp 21.8K

-11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

-8.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.3

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.93

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

-14.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.19

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

-39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.26

$0.80 Rp 14.1K

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.40

$0.39 Rp 6,814

28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.69 Rp 29.8K

153.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿591

$17.38 Rp 306.1K

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.8

$1.76 Rp 31.0K

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.2

$2.24 Rp 39.5K

29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.97

$0.21 Rp 3,698

347.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,818

$7.10 Rp 125.0K

678.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.56

$0.41 Rp 7,291

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.57

$0.40 Rp 7,096

32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿78.9

$5.19 Rp 91.3K

-53.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.32

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

111.76%

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

$21.2K ฿696.8K

$21.2K Rp 372.9M

0.09%

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

$27.3K ฿897.8K

$26.6K Rp 468.7M

2.61%

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

$64.9 ฿2,135

$71.3 Rp 1.3M

-8.93%

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

$13.35 ฿439

$5.47 Rp 96.4K

144.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿685

$15.78 Rp 278.0K

32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,329

$40.33 Rp 710.4K

0.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

$12.84 Rp 226.2K

-69.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿221

$3.17 Rp 55.8K

111.67%

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

$787 ฿25.9K

$353 Rp 6.2M

123.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿497.2K

$4,175 Rp 73.5M

262.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,849

$39.31 Rp 692.4K

43.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿820

$30.24 Rp 532.6K

-17.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,048

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

32.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,470

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,446

$414 Rp 7.3M

-30.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.9K

$2,186 Rp 38.5M

-58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.4K

$1,071 Rp 18.9M

-50.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.1K

$1,705 Rp 30.0M

16.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.7K

$1,384 Rp 24.4M

4.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.78

-59.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Gili Trawangan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $693 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Gili Trawangan. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $222 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 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,455 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $353 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 9% 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 $950, than in Gili Trawangan at $970. 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 $950 versus $970 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.