Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Giza Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Giza

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $455 in Giza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $724 in Giza, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $993 in Giza, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 105% more than Giza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Giza are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Giza 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.07 E£212

-48.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$14.37 E£749

36.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.90 E£255

15.71%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.20 E£62.6

50.83%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.38 E£20.05

102.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.12 E£6.45

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.47 E£76.9

50.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.87 E£149

32.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.87 E£45.47

135.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.38 E£19.58

297.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.67 E£34.97

108.96%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.45 E£75.6

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$2.51 E£131

545.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.82 E£199

-24.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.28 E£432

13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.52 E£79.2

76.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.59 E£30.69

84.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.43 E£22.46

276.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.35 E£18.33

317.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.44 E£23.11

190.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.46 E£23.95

130.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.23 E£11.96

213.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.19 E£9.82

178.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.99 E£104

112.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.70 E£245

289.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.38 E£72.0

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.66 E£86.5

74.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.32 E£16.80

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$8.58 E£447

526.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.42 E£21.74

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.37 E£19.14

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.95 E£102

22.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.43 E£22.26

237.21%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$33.0K E£1.7M

-36.35%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$28.3K E£1.5M

-6.53%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$17.01 E£887

274.19%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$7.28 E£379

77.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.52 E£1,018

5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$22.19 E£1,157

75.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.08 E£369

-44.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.33 E£226

51.96%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$93.5 E£4,875

738.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,498 E£130.3K

487.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$16.93 E£883

225.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$61.3 E£3,194

-59.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$83.6 E£4,358

12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$49.84 E£2,599

48.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$140 E£7,290

250.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$89.3 E£4,657

222.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$368 E£19.2K

142.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$157 E£8,197

231.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$792 E£41.3K

149.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,216 E£63.4K

18.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$127 E£6,648

371.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-72.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Giza: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $140 in Giza. 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 372% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Giza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $112 – making Giza 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 Giza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 105% more than Giza, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $682 in Giza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.5 in Giza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 115% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Giza, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Giza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Giza costs $455 versus $932 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 Giza. 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.