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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $886 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,422 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,958 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Gordon Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gordon Town are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gordon Town 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$7.72 JMD 1,214

-74.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$63.4 JMD 9,974

-70.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.73 JMD 1,372

-10.42%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.39 JMD 691

-55.58%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.37 JMD 215

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.70 JMD 110

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.56 JMD 403

-16.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.04 JMD 479

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$4.39 JMD 690

-61.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.48 JMD 548

-53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.61 JMD 253

-29.19%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$3.48 JMD 547

-44.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.13 JMD 1,750

45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.53 JMD 1,027

-52.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.45 JMD 1,171

46.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$5.98 JMD 941

-54.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.98 JMD 468

-59.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.11 JMD 647

-60.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$3.06 JMD 482

-48.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.11 JMD 332

-33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.00 JMD 314

-41.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$3.02 JMD 475

-78.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.49 JMD 234

-64.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$8.69 JMD 1,367

-46.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$11.31 JMD 1,779

64.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.80 JMD 440

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.09 JMD 486

4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.13 JMD 178

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$3.10 JMD 487

-58.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.40 JMD 1,007

22.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.23 JMD 193

3.25%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

-49.54%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-34.08%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$163 JMD 25.6K

-57.62%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$21.76 JMD 3,421

-35.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$51.3 JMD 8,061

-64.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$13.00 JMD 2,044

-54.46%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$226 JMD 35.6K

32.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$2,513 JMD 395.2K

494.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$25.73 JMD 4,046

112.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$25.31 JMD 3,980

5.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gordon Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $63.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $350 – 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 2% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,329 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $63.0 in Gordon Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $886 in Gordon Town, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $886 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.