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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,030 in Green Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,692 in Green Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,353 in Green Island, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Green Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Green Island are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Green Island 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$15.56 JMD 2,444

-86.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

-73.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.92 JMD 1,401

-35.09%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.43 JMD 852

-66.30%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.24 JMD 195

-37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.68 JMD 107

-54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.15 JMD 337

8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.08 JMD 484

20.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$4.06 JMD 638

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.80 JMD 596

-57.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.65 JMD 259

-13.94%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.50 JMD 549

-37.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.23 JMD 1,764

41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.34 JMD 996

-51.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.14 JMD 1,594

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$6.09 JMD 957

-56.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$4.01 JMD 629

-72.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$7.45 JMD 1,170

-78.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.00 JMD 471

-49.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.24 JMD 508

-61.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.63 JMD 414

-57.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$3.14 JMD 493

-76.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.52 JMD 239

-67.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$9.61 JMD 1,509

-55.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.46 JMD 1,800

56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.84 JMD 447

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.03 JMD 633

-28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.22 JMD 191

0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.23 JMD 508

-83.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.13 JMD 963

-60.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.40 JMD 220

2.86%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-52.86%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-17.34%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$173 JMD 27.2K

-62.44%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$29.14 JMD 4,578

-54.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$54.0 JMD 8,474

-61.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.47 JMD 2,116

-50.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$358 JMD 56.2K

119.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,105 JMD 1.3M

86.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.80 JMD 3,739

136.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$31.78 JMD 4,991

-21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$104 JMD 16.4K

-28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Green Island: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $75.0 in Green Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $385 – 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 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,545 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $75.0 in Green Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Green Island at $1,030. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Green Island it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,030 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.