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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Green Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,446 in Green Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,994 in Green Island, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Green Island are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Green Island 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$7.68 JMD 1,208

-74.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$62.8 JMD 9,878

-70.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$8.72 JMD 1,372

-11.12%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$4.42 JMD 695

-56.56%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$1.31 JMD 207

-39.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.76 JMD 119

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$2.49 JMD 391

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.20 JMD 504

14.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$4.36 JMD 686

-62.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$3.67 JMD 577

-55.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.55 JMD 244

-23.23%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$3.57 JMD 562

-43.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$11.26 JMD 1,771

41.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$6.44 JMD 1,013

-52.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$7.67 JMD 1,206

41.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$5.89 JMD 927

-53.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$3.09 JMD 486

-61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$4.21 JMD 662

-61.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$2.89 JMD 455

-47.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$2.10 JMD 331

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$2.01 JMD 317

-40.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$3.13 JMD 493

-77.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.45 JMD 228

-61.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$8.83 JMD 1,389

-48.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$11.34 JMD 1,784

46.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$2.78 JMD 437

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$3.05 JMD 480

4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.07 JMD 168

27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$3.25 JMD 512

-58.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.17 JMD 970

27.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.29 JMD 203

-4.65%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

-48.88%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-32.22%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$165 JMD 25.9K

-57.20%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$22.16 JMD 3,486

-38.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$49.98 JMD 7,862

-65.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$13.07 JMD 2,055

-55.85%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$224 JMD 35.3K

36.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

489.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$26.45 JMD 4,160

110.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$25.69 JMD 4,041

2.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

22.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

-4.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Green Island: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $63.0 in Green Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $352 – 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 3% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,348 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 $63.0 in Green Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $899 in Green Island, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $899 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.