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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $891 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,449 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,008 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Gordon Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gordon Town are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Gordon Town 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$7.68 JMD 1,210

-74.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-71.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.59 JMD 1,353

-12.92%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.38 JMD 690

-53.88%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.31 JMD 207

-35.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.71 JMD 112

-49.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.56 JMD 403

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.10 JMD 489

15.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$4.21 JMD 663

-60.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.64 JMD 574

-56.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.55 JMD 245

-23.23%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.58 JMD 565

-45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.10 JMD 1,749

45.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.53 JMD 1,029

-54.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.69 JMD 1,211

42.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$6.14 JMD 967

-55.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.99 JMD 472

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$4.28 JMD 674

-60.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.96 JMD 466

-45.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.11 JMD 333

-34.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.91 JMD 302

-37.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$3.12 JMD 491

-78.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.46 JMD 229

-61.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.58 JMD 1,353

-45.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.12 JMD 1,753

58.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.85 JMD 450

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.04 JMD 480

8.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.12 JMD 177

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$3.11 JMD 490

-56.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.24 JMD 983

31.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.28 JMD 201

-4.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-49.24%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-33.06%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$164 JMD 25.8K

-56.85%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$22.15 JMD 3,491

-36.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$50.5 JMD 7,965

-65.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$13.32 JMD 2,099

-55.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$227 JMD 35.8K

35.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$2,512 JMD 395.8K

492.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$25.94 JMD 4,088

114.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.78 JMD 4,062

1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

-6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gordon Town: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $64.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $351 – 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 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,337 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $64.0 in Gordon Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $891 in Gordon Town, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $891 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.