Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Goma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Goma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $430 in Goma, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Goma $430

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $751 in Goma, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Goma $751

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,071 in Goma, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Goma $1,071

Chiang Mai costs about 118% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Goma are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Goma 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

-84.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

-57.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

-45.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.51 CDF 7,960

-51.00%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.03 CDF 2,331

-37.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$1.01 CDF 2,292

-67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.19 CDF 2,685

98.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

-22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.98 CDF 2,211

109.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.22 CDF 2,758

4.92%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.60 CDF 3,625

40.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

180.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.57 CDF 5,814

6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

86.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.97 CDF 4,470

21.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.52 CDF 3,448

5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.51 CDF 1,165

150.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.69 CDF 1,552

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.02 CDF 4,567

-19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.52 CDF 5,698

13.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

-16.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

-66.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Goma

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Goma. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $108 in Goma – so Goma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

01:47 1:47 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Goma 7,950 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Goma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 118% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $645 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $430 in Goma. That's a gap of about 118%.

Groceries cost about 121% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $430 versus $938 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 Goma. 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.