Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jolly Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jolly Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,267 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,896 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,524 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Jolly Harbour, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Jolly Harbour are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Jolly Harbour 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$9.08 EC$24.52

-77.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$75.2 EC$203

-73.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.19 EC$19.40

-21.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$5.61 EC$15.13

-67.74%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.21 EC$5.96

-65.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.13 EC$3.06

-69.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$5.60 EC$15.11

-60.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$4.56 EC$12.32

-16.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.91 EC$7.85

-48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$5.70 EC$15.39

-75.44%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$7.83 EC$21.14

-71.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.72 EC$15.43

183.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.19 EC$16.70

-53.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.94 EC$45.74

-44.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.64 EC$15.23

-52.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.86 EC$5.03

-41.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.90 EC$7.82

-44.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$5.44 EC$14.70

-73.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$5.46 EC$14.75

-76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$6.30 EC$17.01

-88.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$13.19 EC$35.62

38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.32 EC$3.56

23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.82 EC$4.91

59.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.81 EC$4.89

-51.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$5.69 EC$15.37

-89.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.73 EC$1.96

98.63%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$521 EC$1,406

-87.78%

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

$12.89 ฿430

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$67.0 EC$181

-69.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$74.7 EC$202

-47.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$56.1 EC$151

-93.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$16.59 EC$44.79

-60.34%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Jolly Harbour: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $75.0 in Jolly Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $338 – 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 Jolly Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jolly Harbour costs about 36% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,900 in Jolly Harbour. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $932 in Chiang Mai and $1,267 in Jolly Harbour. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Jolly Harbour, 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 $932, than in Jolly Harbour at $1,267. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jolly Harbour it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,267 in Jolly Harbour. 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, Jolly Harbour makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.