🙂A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,462 in Godollo, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,276 in Godollo, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,091 in Godollo, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Godollo, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Godollo is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.10฿69.3
$14.66Ft 4,591
-85.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.84฿656
$51.9Ft 16.2K
-61.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.79฿191
$11.29Ft 3,537
-48.72%
Cappuccino
$1.83฿60.4
$2.96Ft 928
-38.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78฿25.61
$2.12Ft 663
-63.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31฿10.37
$1.65Ft 516
-81.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34฿77.2
$3.16Ft 991
-25.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70฿122
$3.47Ft 1,087
6.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.03฿67.1
$1.26Ft 394
61.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60฿52.7
$1.93Ft 604
-17.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.42฿46.75
$2.62Ft 822
-45.80%
Eggs
$2.18฿71.9
$3.71Ft 1,162
-41.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.91฿526
$12.24Ft 3,833
29.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.07฿102
$6.97Ft 2,182
-55.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.87฿326
$15.62Ft 4,894
-36.81%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63฿86.8
$2.05Ft 642
28.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.10฿36.19
$2.19Ft 686
-49.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.63฿53.8
$2.14Ft 669
-23.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.6
$4.06Ft 1,271
-62.32%
Potato(1kg)
$1.24฿41.13
$0.96Ft 301
29.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13฿37.37
$1.27Ft 397
-11.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74฿24.38
$1.60Ft 501
-53.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50฿16.48
$0.54Ft 170
-7.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28฿141
$7.24Ft 2,267
-40.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.97฿594
$6.58Ft 2,063
173.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70฿56.1
$1.30Ft 408
30.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿95.7
$2.19Ft 687
32.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94฿31.13
$0.73Ft 229
28.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.3฿1,827
$14.76Ft 4,625
274.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23฿40.76
$3.29Ft 1,031
-62.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53฿17.66
$1.43Ft 449
-62.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.40฿79.3
$12.76Ft 3,997
-81.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.44฿47.55
$1.97Ft 619
-26.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿700.2K
$31.0KFt 9.7M
-31.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K฿902.1K
$35.6KFt 11.2M
-23.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$64.9฿2,145
$180Ft 56.4K
-63.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.35฿441
$26.07Ft 8,167
-48.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.83฿688
$25.21Ft 7,897
-17.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.42฿1,336
$39.04Ft 12.2K
3.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.95฿131
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.71฿222
$9.69Ft 3,036
-30.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$787฿26.0K
$433Ft 135.6K
81.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.1K฿499.6K
$11.2KFt 3.5M
35.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2฿1,858
$92.6Ft 29.0K
-39.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.95฿824
$34.63Ft 10.8K
-27.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.7฿3,063
$119Ft 37.4K
-22.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.1฿2,482
$105Ft 33.0K
-28.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$484฿16.0K
$603Ft 189.0K
-19.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$287฿9,491
$505Ft 158.3K
-43.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$910฿30.1K
$1,133Ft 354.8K
-19.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$531฿17.5K
$957Ft 299.9K
-44.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,980฿65.4K
$3,257Ft 1.0M
-39.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,451฿47.9K
$2,246Ft 703.6K
-35.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Godollo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$605฿20.0K
$1,265Ft 396.4K
-52.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.56
-15.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026
Last update for Godollo: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $603 in Godollo. 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 109% higher in Godollo, 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 $52.0 in Godollo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $270 – making Chiang Mai 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 Godollo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Godollo?
Godollo costs about 54% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Godollo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,193 in Godollo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Godollo?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Godollo?
Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $433 in Godollo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Godollo?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Godollo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Godollo?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Godollo at $1,462. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Godollo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Godollo?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,462 in Godollo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Godollo?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Godollo?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Godollo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared