Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Wellington and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Wellington and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,002 per month in Fort Wellington vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,677 per month in Fort Wellington vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,352 per month in Fort Wellington vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fort Wellington costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fort Wellington and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fort Wellington 27% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.91 GYD 3,725

$2.10 ฿69.3

752.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.6 GYD 14.9K

$19.84 ฿656

260.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 GYD 1,996

$5.79 ฿191

65.80%

Cappuccino

$5.69 GYD 1,183

$1.83 ฿60.4

210.93%

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

$1.21 GYD 251

$0.78 ฿25.61

55.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 GYD 135

$0.31 ฿10.37

109.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GYD 387

$2.34 ฿77.2

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 GYD 704

$3.70 ฿122

-8.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 GYD 657

$2.03 ฿67.1

55.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 GYD 430

$1.60 ฿52.7

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 GYD 417

$1.42 ฿46.75

41.55%

Eggs

$4.00 GYD 831

$2.18 ฿71.9

83.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 GYD 3,273

$15.91 ฿526

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 GYD 1,426

$3.07 ฿102

123.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.82 GYD 1,835

$9.87 ฿326

-10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$8.19 GYD 1,702

$2.63 ฿86.8

211.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 GYD 801

$1.10 ฿36.19

250.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 GYD 854

$1.63 ฿53.8

152.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.21 GYD 1,500

$1.53 ฿50.6

371.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 GYD 492

$1.24 ฿41.13

91.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 GYD 649

$1.13 ฿37.37

176.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 GYD 623

$0.74 ฿24.38

304.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 GYD 338

$0.50 ฿16.48

226.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 GYD 680

$4.28 ฿141

-23.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.97 GYD 3,529

$17.97 ฿594

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 GYD 374

$1.70 ฿56.1

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 GYD 524

$2.90 ฿95.7

-13.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 GYD 914

$1.23 ฿40.76

256.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 GYD 510

$0.53 ฿17.66

362.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.03 GYD 2,502

$2.40 ฿79.3

401.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 GYD 215

$1.44 ฿47.55

-28.47%

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

$27.2K GYD 5.7M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

28.23%

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

$23.1K GYD 4.8M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-15.24%

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

$119 GYD 24.7K

$64.9 ฿2,145

82.70%

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

$21.22 GYD 4,414

$13.35 ฿441

58.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.79 GYD 8,899

$20.83 ฿688

105.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 GYD 1,331

$6.71 ฿222

-4.62%

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

$1,009 GYD 209.8K

$787 ฿26.0K

28.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K GYD 3.9M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

24.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.63 GYD 7,826

$56.2 ฿1,858

-33.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.65 GYD 8,661

$24.95 ฿824

66.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 GYD 27.8K

$92.7 ฿3,063

44.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 GYD 17.8K

$75.1 ฿2,482

14.19%

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)

$967 GYD 201.1K

$605 ฿20.0K

59.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

5.57

24.60%

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

Last update for Fort Wellington: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 60% higher in Fort Wellington, 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 $72.0 in Fort Wellington versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $242 – 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

Fort Wellington vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Wellington costs about 5% 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 $1,503 per month in Fort Wellington and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Fort Wellington and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Fort Wellington, 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 Fort Wellington at $1,002. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,002 in Fort Wellington. 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, Fort Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.