Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kutaisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kutaisi: $886 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Kutaisi
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Kutaisi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kutaisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Kutaisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Kutaisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $886 in Kutaisi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kutaisi $886

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,317 in Kutaisi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kutaisi $1,317

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,747 in Kutaisi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kutaisi $1,747

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Kutaisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kutaisi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kutaisi 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$9.84 ₾25.44

-77.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$31.09 ₾80.4

-38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$10.72 ₾27.71

-48.23%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$1.99 ₾5.14

-16.08%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$0.81 ₾2.09

-20.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.52 ₾1.34

-40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.27 ₾3.28

85.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$1.89 ₾4.90

93.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.83 ₾4.73

6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$0.47 ₾1.21

206.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$1.25 ₾3.24

6.40%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.32 ₾5.99

-1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$6.15 ₾15.91

167.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.87 ₾12.59

-42.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.38 ₾26.85

-10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.25 ₾3.23

88.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.59 ₾4.11

-38.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.52 ₾3.92

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.74 ₾4.50

-13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.78 ₾2.01

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$0.65 ₾1.67

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$1.23 ₾3.18

-42.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.65 ₾1.67

-24.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.11 ₾8.04

33.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$3.90 ₾10.08

349.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.62 ₾4.19

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$2.51 ₾6.49

10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.34 ₾0.87

155.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$7.83 ₾20.24

590.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$0.75 ₾1.94

54.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$0.78 ₾2.03

-32.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$5.84 ₾15.09

-58.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$1.32 ₾3.41

9.85%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$23.3K ₾60.3K

-9.62%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$22.9K ₾59.2K

17.69%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$76.7 ₾198

-18.89%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$8.82 ₾22.81

37.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$14.79 ₾38.23

36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$41.42 ₾107

-9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$8.45 ₾21.85

-55.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.79 ₾12.38

35.49%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$130 ₾335

467.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$2,663 ₾6,885

454.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$56.6 ₾146

-5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$39.98 ₾103

-38.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$97.8 ₾253

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$87.3 ₾226

-17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$355 ₾918

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$266 ₾687

16.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$528 ₾1,364

90.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$339 ₾876

87.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$1,074 ₾2,776

120.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$675 ₾1,746

135.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$475 ₾1,228

24.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

15.67

-64.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kutaisi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kutaisi

$265 30% 14.1% $43

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kutaisi

$179 20.2% 23.6% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kutaisi

$127 14.3% 16.7% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kutaisi

$100 11.3% 6.1% $5.8

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kutaisi

$150 16.9% 93.6% $73

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kutaisi

$14 1.6% 77.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kutaisi

$51 5.8% 1.4% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $355 in Kutaisi. 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 24% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $31 in Kutaisi. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $179 in Kutaisi – so Kutaisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇬🇪 Kutaisi

🕒 Local time

14:33 2:33 PM

11:33 11:33 AM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

130,411

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kutaisi 5,860 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kutaisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kutaisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Kutaisi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,330 in Kutaisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kutaisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $355 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $130 in Kutaisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $886 in Kutaisi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kutaisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Kutaisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.