Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Green Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Green Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Green Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,450 in Green Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,006 in Green Island, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Green Island are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Green Island 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.2

$7.45 JMD 1,174

-72.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿629

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-70.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿263

$8.68 JMD 1,367

-9.68%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.7

$4.40 JMD 694

-56.14%

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

$0.83 ฿27.92

$1.36 JMD 214

-38.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.77

$0.71 JMD 112

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.6

$2.44 JMD 384

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.10 JMD 487

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.3

$4.29 JMD 676

-61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.1

$3.63 JMD 572

-57.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.63 JMD 257

-27.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.7

$3.58 JMD 564

-43.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿543

$11.13 JMD 1,752

45.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.18 JMD 973

-50.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿364

$7.47 JMD 1,176

45.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$5.88 JMD 925

-54.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.03

$3.05 JMD 480

-60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.6

$4.27 JMD 673

-61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.3

$2.93 JMD 461

-47.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.01 JMD 317

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.75

$2.02 JMD 317

-40.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.57

$3.01 JMD 474

-76.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.65

$1.48 JMD 233

-64.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿157

$8.58 JMD 1,351

-45.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿595

$11.54 JMD 1,818

53.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.0

$2.78 JMD 438

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$3.22 JMD 506

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.27

$1.11 JMD 175

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.40

$3.25 JMD 512

-60.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$6.34 JMD 999

22.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.47

$1.23 JMD 193

4.88%

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

$21.8K ฿731.4K

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-49.59%

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

$21.7K ฿728.8K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-35.52%

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

$70.0 ฿2,351

$164 JMD 25.8K

-57.32%

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

$14.19 ฿477

$22.27 JMD 3,506

-36.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿585

$51.6 JMD 8,123

-66.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,399

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿194

$13.28 JMD 2,091

-56.48%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$226 JMD 35.6K

32.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿487.9K

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

475.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,860

$25.71 JMD 4,048

115.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿884

$25.41 JMD 4,001

3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,851

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

18.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,368

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,898

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.7K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Green Island: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $64.0 in Green Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $349 – 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 Green Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Green Island costs about 6% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,341 in Green Island. 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 $64.0 in Green Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Green Island, 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Green Island, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $894 in Green Island. 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, Green Island makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.