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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $483 in Giza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $767 in Giza, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,052 in Giza, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 79% more than Giza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Giza are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Giza 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.89 E£202

-50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$15.76 E£816

18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.93 E£255

58.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.46 E£75.4

33.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.36 E£18.81

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.11 E£5.93

218.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.30 E£67.2

63.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.00 E£104

86.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.95 E£49.24

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.59 E£30.63

176.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.69 E£35.99

65.22%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.48 E£76.8

30.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.39 E£176

378.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.15 E£215

-24.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.69 E£450

25.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.47 E£75.9

87.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.57 E£29.28

112.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.40 E£20.48

305.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.40 E£20.57

297.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.50 E£25.72

180.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.41 E£21.11

185.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.24 E£12.45

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.21 E£10.62

152.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.01 E£104

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.26 E£221

338.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.34 E£69.3

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.69 E£87.7

91.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.29 E£14.85

210.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$1.98 E£102

870.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.42 E£21.62

235.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.25 E£13.03

416.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.03 E£105

286.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.34 E£17.37

273.53%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.2K E£1.8M

-39.59%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$33.2K E£1.7M

-33.13%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$19.33 E£1,001

257.32%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.48 E£388

88.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$12.44 E£645

44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$17.18 E£890

139.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.04 E£365

-1.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.59 E£186

64.90%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$90.7 E£4,700

229.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,971 E£102.1K

658.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$27.62 E£1,431

98.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$48.56 E£2,515

-44.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$106 E£5,513

-20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$50.5 E£2,617

39.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$192 E£9,929

123.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$113 E£5,866

109.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$412 E£21.4K

94.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$178 E£9,228

189.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$798 E£41.3K

147.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,199 E£62.1K

23.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$125 E£6,482

393.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-70.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Giza: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $192 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 393% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Giza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $120 – 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 79% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $725 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $90.7 in Giza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $483 in Giza, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Giza costs $483 versus $866 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.