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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $593 in Goa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Goa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,224 in Goa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Goa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Goa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Goa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$3.41 ₹317

-41.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$15.40 ₹1,429

18.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$5.89 ₹547

29.88%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.28 ₹119

50.00%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.39 ₹35.94

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.21 ₹19.43

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$1.26 ₹117

73.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$3.11 ₹289

21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.75 ₹69.2

118.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.61 ₹56.3

165.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.14 ₹105

0.88%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$0.92 ₹85.8

110.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$6.60 ₹613

141.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$3.08 ₹286

0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$2.13 ₹198

27.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$0.99 ₹91.9

19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.72 ₹160

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.52 ₹48.62

209.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.39 ₹36.18

256.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.55 ₹51.1

109.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.57 ₹52.7

24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.44 ₹40.52

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$3.58 ₹332

27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$6.82 ₹633

176.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$0.99 ₹92.3

83.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.81 ₹168

77.35%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.62 ₹429

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.24 ₹22.34

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$17.58 ₹1,631

7.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$1.18 ₹110

19.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.34 ₹31.18

282.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$2.35 ₹218

248.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.20 ₹112

2.50%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$11.2K ₹1.0M

88.53%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$31.9K ₹3.0M

-30.13%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$24.31 ₹2,255

187.41%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$3.20 ₹297

339.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$10.33 ₹959

71.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$19.57 ₹1,816

111.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$4.18 ₹388

60.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$3.41 ₹317

68.33%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$125 ₹11.6K

138.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$1,934 ₹179.4K

676.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$32.67 ₹3,032

67.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$29.01 ₹2,692

-9.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$51.4 ₹4,771

64.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$24.24 ₹2,249

187.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$275 ₹25.5K

55.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$255 ₹23.6K

-5.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$462 ₹42.9K

75.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$450 ₹41.7K

10.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$1,166 ₹108.2K

73.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$693 ₹64.3K

120.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$343 ₹31.9K

86.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.47

-40.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Goa: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $275 in Goa. 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 86% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $15 in Goa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $115 – making Goa 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 Goa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Goa, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $889 in Goa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Goa, 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 $125 in Goa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $593 in Goa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goa costs $593 versus $872 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 Goa. 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.