🙂A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Gyongyos, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,675 in Gyongyos, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,307 in Gyongyos, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Gyongyos, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Gyongyos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai33% lower, Gyongyos24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.11฿69.1
$10.18Ft 3,174
-79.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.75฿648
$47.57Ft 14.8K
-58.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.85฿192
$9.30Ft 2,900
-37.10%
Cappuccino
$1.76฿57.8
$2.21Ft 690
-20.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.37
$1.51Ft 471
-50.99%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33฿10.90
$1.14Ft 357
-71.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.47฿81.0
$2.22Ft 691
11.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88฿127
$2.18Ft 679
77.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.90฿62.4
$1.19Ft 371
59.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.67฿54.7
$1.41Ft 440
18.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.35฿44.24
$1.71Ft 533
-21.05%
Eggs
$2.14฿70.2
$2.37Ft 739
-9.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿521
$10.14Ft 3,161
56.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.83฿92.9
$7.01Ft 2,185
-59.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.53฿345
$12.66Ft 3,948
-16.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38฿78.2
$1.67Ft 521
42.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07฿35.01
$2.00Ft 624
-46.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52฿49.79
$2.02Ft 629
-24.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50฿49.30
$3.59Ft 1,118
-58.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿41.96
$1.08Ft 338
18.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.10฿36.17
$1.16Ft 362
-5.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.69฿22.54
$1.39Ft 433
-50.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.18
$0.55Ft 171
-10.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$7.82Ft 2,437
-45.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.78฿550
$5.05Ft 1,574
232.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66฿54.4
$1.15Ft 360
44.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81฿92.3
$1.46Ft 457
92.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.44
$0.76Ft 238
18.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$54.9฿1,801
$18.96Ft 5,910
189.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.20฿39.24
$3.18Ft 992
-62.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.54฿17.78
$1.09Ft 340
-50.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.37฿77.9
$18.86Ft 5,879
-87.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿46.88
$1.92Ft 599
-25.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K฿691.5K
$27.4KFt 8.5M
-23.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K฿890.2K
$22.7KFt 7.1M
19.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$64.7฿2,124
$132Ft 41.2K
-51.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.19฿433
$23.15Ft 7,218
-43.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.44฿638
$19.16Ft 5,974
1.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.45฿1,294
$35.44Ft 11.1K
11.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77฿124
$9.70Ft 3,026
-61.13%
Cinema Ticket
$6.62฿217
$6.21Ft 1,936
6.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$805฿26.4K
$259Ft 80.7K
211.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.1K฿496.1K
$7,017Ft 2.2M
115.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8฿1,796
$93.1Ft 29.0K
-41.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.43฿834
$16.18Ft 5,045
57.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.9฿3,015
$81.0Ft 25.3K
13.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.7฿2,449
$81.1Ft 25.3K
-7.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$467฿15.3K
$423Ft 131.9K
10.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$282฿9,251
$286Ft 89.2K
-1.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.2K
$625Ft 194.8K
42.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.1K
$612Ft 190.7K
-14.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,985฿65.1K
$3,128Ft 975.4K
-36.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,462฿48.0K
$2,733Ft 852.1K
-46.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Gyongyos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$592฿19.4K
$785Ft 244.8K
-24.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.67
-16.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026
Last update for Gyongyos: August 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $423 in Gyongyos. 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 33% higher in Gyongyos, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Gyongyos. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Gyongyos – so Gyongyos 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 Gyongyos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Gyongyos?
Gyongyos costs about 13% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Gyongyos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,563 in Gyongyos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Gyongyos?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Gyongyos?
Kindergarten costs $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $259 in Gyongyos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Gyongyos?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Gyongyos – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Gyongyos?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Gyongyos at $1,042. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gyongyos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Gyongyos?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,042 in Gyongyos. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Gyongyos?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Gyongyos?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gyongyos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared