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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $812 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,210 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,608 in Granada, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Granada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Granada 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.13 NIO 151

-52.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$32.63 NIO 1,195

-43.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.98 NIO 256

7.16%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.08 NIO 76.4

-2.88%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.83 NIO 30.42

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.63 NIO 23.11

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.26 NIO 46.21

69.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.96 NIO 71.8

83.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.15 NIO 42.28

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.20 NIO 43.79

30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.81 NIO 29.55

46.91%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.45 NIO 53.2

33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.90 NIO 143

315.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.98 NIO 182

-39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.94 NIO 291

37.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.79 NIO 139

-28.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.85 NIO 31.21

37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.78 NIO 65.3

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.91 NIO 33.29

75.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.23 NIO 81.5

-38.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.11 NIO 40.81

8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.99 NIO 36.23

-32.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.06 NIO 38.85

-47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.64 NIO 96.8

75.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.94 NIO 364

77.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.47 NIO 53.8

26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.59 NIO 58.4

107.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.11 NIO 4.14

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$3.90 NIO 143

395.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.63 NIO 22.94

115.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.58 NIO 21.15

131.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.75 NIO 247

21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.32 NIO 48.36

-7.58%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$23.3K NIO 851.9K

-8.20%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$26.4K NIO 966.0K

-14.58%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$100 NIO 3,666

-29.40%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.30 NIO 633

-18.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$37.91 NIO 1,389

-53.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$34.46 NIO 1,262

22.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.11 NIO 297

-27.00%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$123 NIO 4,508

150.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,911 NIO 216.5K

151.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$14.89 NIO 545

274.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$29.88 NIO 1,094

-12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$35.21 NIO 1,290

135.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$35.55 NIO 1,302

98.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$385 NIO 14.1K

12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$280 NIO 10.2K

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$595 NIO 21.8K

38.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$452 NIO 16.5K

13.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$137 NIO 5,003

324.11%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Granada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $385 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 324% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Granada. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $185 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 6% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,217 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $123 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $812 in Granada, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Granada costs $812 versus $861 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.