Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Golden Grove Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Golden Grove

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,029 in Golden Grove, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,690 in Golden Grove, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,350 in Golden Grove, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Golden Grove, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Golden Grove are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Golden Grove 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$15.80 JMD 2,476

-86.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

-73.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.98 JMD 1,407

-36.86%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$5.33 JMD 835

-66.04%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.16 JMD 181

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.72 JMD 114

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.24 JMD 351

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.10 JMD 485

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$4.13 JMD 647

-50.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.71 JMD 581

-59.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.65 JMD 259

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.58 JMD 561

-36.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$11.45 JMD 1,794

41.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.51 JMD 1,020

-55.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$10.18 JMD 1,596

-7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$6.24 JMD 979

-57.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$3.85 JMD 603

-71.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$7.37 JMD 1,156

-78.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$3.09 JMD 485

-52.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$3.35 JMD 526

-61.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.73 JMD 427

-61.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$3.01 JMD 472

-76.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.51 JMD 237

-64.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.33 JMD 1,463

-54.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.35 JMD 1,778

61.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.90 JMD 455

-43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.12 JMD 645

-29.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.21 JMD 190

-3.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.19 JMD 501

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.15 JMD 964

-61.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.37 JMD 214

5.84%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$43.6K JMD 6.8M

-51.81%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

-20.50%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$177 JMD 27.7K

-63.97%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$29.19 JMD 4,574

-55.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$52.2 JMD 8,173

-60.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$13.44 JMD 2,106

-51.04%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$365 JMD 57.2K

114.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$8,100 JMD 1.3M

81.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$23.93 JMD 3,750

130.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$31.75 JMD 4,977

-22.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$79.2 JMD 12.4K

18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$105 JMD 16.5K

-29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $75.0 in Golden Grove. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $387 – 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 Golden Grove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Golden Grove costs about 10% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,543 in Golden Grove. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $75.0 in Golden Grove. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Golden Grove, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Golden Grove at $1,029. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Golden Grove it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,029 in Golden Grove. 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, Golden Grove makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.