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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $870 in Golden Grove, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,430 in Golden Grove, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,990 in Golden Grove, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Golden Grove have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.60 JMD 1,195

-73.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$62.8 JMD 9,874

-70.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.96 JMD 1,410

-13.50%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.45 JMD 700

-56.85%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.33 JMD 209

-40.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.75 JMD 118

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.45 JMD 385

-9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.07 JMD 482

19.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$4.18 JMD 658

-60.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.65 JMD 573

-55.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.60 JMD 252

-25.63%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.43 JMD 539

-41.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.16 JMD 1,755

43.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.20 JMD 975

-51.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.79 JMD 1,225

39.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$6.03 JMD 948

-54.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.11 JMD 489

-62.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$4.14 JMD 651

-60.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.03 JMD 477

-49.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.10 JMD 331

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.93 JMD 304

-38.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$3.08 JMD 484

-77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.36 JMD 57.1

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$9.02 JMD 1,418

-49.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.21 JMD 1,763

47.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.90 JMD 456

-36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.10 JMD 487

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.07 JMD 169

27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$3.23 JMD 508

-58.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.40 JMD 1,006

22.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.24 JMD 195

-0.81%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

-48.74%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-32.90%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$166 JMD 26.2K

-57.60%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$21.69 JMD 3,411

-36.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$51.1 JMD 8,039

-65.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$13.24 JMD 2,082

-56.42%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$225 JMD 35.4K

36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,444 JMD 384.3K

497.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$25.83 JMD 4,062

115.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$25.59 JMD 4,024

2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$70.1 JMD 11.0K

22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

-5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: June 7, 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: $241 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,305 in Golden Grove. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $870 in Golden Grove, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $870 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.