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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $889 in Golden Grove, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,444 in Golden Grove, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,998 in Golden Grove, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Golden Grove, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Golden Grove are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Golden Grove 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.61 JMD 1,196

-74.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$63.1 JMD 9,914

-70.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$9.02 JMD 1,416

-12.20%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.43 JMD 697

-56.88%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.36 JMD 214

-38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.75 JMD 117

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.56 JMD 402

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.16 JMD 497

20.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$4.35 JMD 683

-62.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.51 JMD 551

-53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.60 JMD 252

-26.25%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.58 JMD 562

-43.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.20 JMD 1,760

41.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.30 JMD 989

-52.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.77 JMD 1,221

38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$5.86 JMD 920

-55.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$3.15 JMD 494

-61.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$4.25 JMD 668

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.93 JMD 461

-46.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.02 JMD 318

-34.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.93 JMD 304

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$3.10 JMD 487

-78.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.37 JMD 57.5

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$8.69 JMD 1,365

-47.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.17 JMD 1,754

62.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.84 JMD 446

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.20 JMD 503

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.12 JMD 176

20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$3.21 JMD 503

-57.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.40 JMD 1,005

28.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.25 JMD 196

1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

-50.77%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

-32.95%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$164 JMD 25.7K

-57.21%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$22.40 JMD 3,518

-38.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$51.7 JMD 8,115

-65.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.32 JMD 2,092

-56.61%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$226 JMD 35.5K

35.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,474 JMD 388.6K

499.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$26.39 JMD 4,144

106.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$25.64 JMD 4,026

1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

19.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $63.0 in Golden Grove. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $337 – 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 4% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,334 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $63.0 in Golden Grove. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $889 in Golden Grove, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $889 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.