Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Granada Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Granada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $826 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,218 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,609 in Granada, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Granada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Granada 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$4.13 NIO 151

-53.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$32.46 NIO 1,189

-42.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.91 NIO 253

13.17%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.09 NIO 76.4

-6.70%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.86 NIO 31.50

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.68 NIO 24.89

-48.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.27 NIO 46.52

67.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.04 NIO 74.9

82.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.18 NIO 43.27

44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.19 NIO 43.60

36.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.82 NIO 29.98

39.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.44 NIO 52.7

34.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.81 NIO 140

325.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.00 NIO 183

-37.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.23 NIO 302

32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.98 NIO 146

-30.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.83 NIO 30.34

45.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.77 NIO 64.9

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.90 NIO 32.80

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.33 NIO 85.2

-39.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.08 NIO 39.39

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.02 NIO 37.21

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.01 NIO 36.81

-47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.67 NIO 98.0

75.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$9.83 NIO 360

89.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.45 NIO 53.1

24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.59 NIO 58.2

103.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.10 NIO 3.54

800.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$4.08 NIO 149

370.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.58 NIO 21.34

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.62 NIO 22.73

108.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.70 NIO 245

17.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.33 NIO 48.63

-4.51%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$23.0K NIO 843.7K

-7.63%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$26.6K NIO 972.6K

-16.36%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$96.9 NIO 3,550

-28.75%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.18 NIO 629

-18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.96 NIO 1,390

-52.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$35.65 NIO 1,306

15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.98 NIO 292

-25.81%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$126 NIO 4,607

137.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$6,092 NIO 223.1K

145.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$14.99 NIO 549

264.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$30.50 NIO 1,117

-12.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$35.56 NIO 1,302

139.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$35.08 NIO 1,285

101.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$389 NIO 14.2K

10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$278 NIO 10.2K

-14.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$601 NIO 22.0K

33.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$445 NIO 16.3K

15.96%

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

$165 NIO 6,044

274.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

-51.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Granada: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $389 in Granada. 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 274% 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 $32.00 in Granada. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Granada – so Granada wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Granada, 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 $1,239 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Granada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $126 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $826 in Granada, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Granada costs $826 versus $866 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 Granada. 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.