Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gordon Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gordon Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,056 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,734 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,413 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Gordon Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Gordon Town are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Gordon Town 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$16.00 JMD 2,513

-86.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$74.5 JMD 11.7K

-73.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$9.09 JMD 1,428

-36.30%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.20 JMD 817

-64.81%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.24 JMD 194

-37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.70 JMD 110

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.27 JMD 357

3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.25 JMD 511

13.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$4.14 JMD 651

-50.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.75 JMD 588

-57.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.59 JMD 251

-10.69%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.49 JMD 548

-37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.23 JMD 1,764

41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.39 JMD 1,004

-51.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.53 JMD 1,654

-6.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$6.14 JMD 964

-57.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$3.91 JMD 615

-71.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$7.26 JMD 1,141

-77.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.99 JMD 470

-48.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.30 JMD 518

-62.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.70 JMD 424

-58.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$3.01 JMD 473

-75.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.50 JMD 235

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$9.67 JMD 1,519

-55.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.21 JMD 1,761

60.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.91 JMD 457

-41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.02 JMD 632

-27.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.18 JMD 186

4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.23 JMD 507

-83.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.19 JMD 972

-61.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.35 JMD 212

6.67%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$44.2K JMD 6.9M

-52.03%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

-17.56%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$173 JMD 27.2K

-62.55%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$29.10 JMD 4,572

-54.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$53.2 JMD 8,359

-60.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.16 JMD 2,067

-49.01%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$359 JMD 56.4K

119.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,192 JMD 1.3M

84.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.39 JMD 3,674

140.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$31.36 JMD 4,926

-20.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$101 JMD 15.9K

-25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿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 7, 2026

Last update for Gordon Town: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $385 – 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 Gordon Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gordon Town costs about 11% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,584 in Gordon Town. 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 $74.0 in Gordon Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Gordon Town, 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 $950, than in Gordon Town at $1,056. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gordon Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,056 in Gordon Town. 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, Gordon Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.