😐A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $587 in Gorgan, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $948 in Gorgan, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,309 in Gorgan, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 45% more than Gorgan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Gorgan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai36% lower, Gorgan56% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿63.6
$4.12$4.12
-52.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿611
$17.68$17.68
6.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿258
$4.63$4.63
71.06%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.78$0.78
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.37$1.37
-
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.2
$0.79$0.79
141.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.25
$0.45$0.45
86.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.44
$1.67$1.67
-79.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿71.7
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.2
$0.63$0.63
160.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿52.8
$0.56$0.56
189.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.40
$2.58$2.58
-54.26%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.4
$0.65$0.65
209.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿517
$3.53$3.53
350.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.0
$3.27$3.27
-7.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿350
$4.95$4.95
117.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.0
$1.18$1.18
121.19%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.65
$1.26$1.26
-3.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.4
$1.10$1.10
54.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.2
$1.14$1.14
38.60%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿42.89
$0.84$0.84
57.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.01
$0.41$0.41
185.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.85
$0.55$0.55
21.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.21
$0.22$0.22
154.55%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.04$1.04
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.47$0.47
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.38$1.38
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿147
$2.18$2.18
107.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿592
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.6
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿105
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿28.83
$0.34$0.34
161.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿630
$9.90$9.90
95.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿43.95
$0.34$0.34
297.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿43.79
$0.27$0.27
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿268
$1.95$1.95
323.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.40
$0.77$0.77
64.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿687.8K
$73.8K$73.8K
-71.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿731.0K
$44.6K$44.6K
-49.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,281
$20.00$20.00
250.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿448
$2.07$2.07
565.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿572
$5.65$5.65
211.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,352
$29.47$29.47
41.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿215
$8.38$8.38
-21.24%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿188
$1.47$1.47
293.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿9,953
$114$114
169.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿482.0K
$1,984$1,984
647.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,768
$22.38$22.38
142.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿850
$25.10$25.10
4.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,748
$109$109
-22.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,257
$70.6$70.6
-1.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.8K
$471$471
-10.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,743
$246$246
-3.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿26.8K
$952$952
-13.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.7K
$507$507
1.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿66.6K
$1,030$1,030
98.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.5K
$629$629
142.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Gorgan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.6K
$220$220
188.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
22.24
-77.52%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Last update for Gorgan: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $471 in Gorgan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 189% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Gorgan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $98.0 – making Gorgan 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 Gorgan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Gorgan?
Chiang Mai costs about 45% more than Gorgan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Gorgan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $881 in Gorgan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Gorgan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gorgan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Gorgan?
Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $114 in Gorgan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Gorgan?
Groceries cost about 147% 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.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or Gorgan?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $587 in Gorgan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Gorgan?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gorgan costs $587 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Gorgan?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Gorgan?
If budget matters most, go with Gorgan. 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.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared