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 $894 per month in Fort Wellington vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Fort Wellington vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Fort Wellington vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fort Wellington costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fort Wellington and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fort Wellington 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 GYD 2,489

$1.96 ฿65.9

510.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.6 GYD 14.9K

$18.35 ฿617

290.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 GYD 1,741

$7.48 ฿252

11.90%

Cappuccino

$5.17 GYD 1,075

$2.02 ฿67.8

155.94%

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

$1.24 GYD 258

$0.85 ฿28.52

45.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 GYD 147

$0.36 ฿11.97

97.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 GYD 427

$2.14 ฿71.9

-4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 GYD 491

$3.59 ฿121

-34.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.33 GYD 692

$1.65 ฿55.5

101.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 GYD 442

$1.57 ฿52.7

35.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 GYD 411

$1.19 ฿40.05

66.39%

Eggs

$4.20 GYD 874

$1.94 ฿65.1

116.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 GYD 2,842

$16.19 ฿545

-15.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 GYD 1,296

$2.99 ฿101

108.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 GYD 1,960

$10.94 ฿368

-13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$9.40 GYD 1,955

$2.71 ฿91.2

246.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 GYD 556

$1.17 ฿39.27

128.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 GYD 688

$1.69 ฿56.8

95.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.54 GYD 1,360

$1.60 ฿54.0

308.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 GYD 498

$1.38 ฿46.56

73.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 GYD 602

$1.20 ฿40.47

140.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 GYD 471

$0.67 ฿22.51

238.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 GYD 302

$0.56 ฿18.74

158.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 GYD 533

$4.64 ฿156

-44.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.74 GYD 3,481

$17.62 ฿593

-4.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 GYD 349

$1.86 ฿62.6

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 GYD 508

$3.30 ฿111

-26.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 GYD 658

$1.36 ฿45.92

132.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.92 GYD 2,479

$8.21 ฿276

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 GYD 212

$1.22 ฿41.20

-16.39%

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

$22.2K GYD 4.6M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

4.19%

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

$17.5K GYD 3.6M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-22.25%

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

$90.1 GYD 18.7K

$70.7 ฿2,378

27.51%

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

$27.08 GYD 5,631

$14.04 ฿472

92.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 GYD 10.5K

$17.49 ฿589

189.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 GYD 1,389

$5.92 ฿199

12.84%

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

$1,008 GYD 209.6K

$309 ฿10.4K

226.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

53.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.12 GYD 7,097

$55.8 ฿1,876

-38.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 GYD 11.1K

$26.11 ฿879

104.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 GYD 26.4K

$83.0 ฿2,793

53.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

$70.5 ฿2,371

8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 GYD 202.2K

$579 ฿19.5K

67.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

50.00%

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

Last update for Fort Wellington: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 68% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $243 – 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 4% 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 $1,341 per month in Fort Wellington and $1,292 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $894 in Fort Wellington and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $894 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.