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 $892 per month in Fort Wellington vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,535 per month in Fort Wellington vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,177 per month in Fort Wellington vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fort Wellington costs about 3% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 GYD 2,516

$1.94 ฿63.5

523.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 GYD 14.8K

$18.64 ฿609

281.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 GYD 1,841

$7.82 ฿255

13.30%

Cappuccino

$5.12 GYD 1,065

$1.95 ฿63.8

162.56%

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

$1.21 GYD 251

$0.85 ฿27.77

42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 GYD 144

$0.35 ฿11.58

97.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 GYD 412

$2.13 ฿69.6

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 GYD 501

$3.73 ฿122

-35.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.45 GYD 717

$1.71 ฿56.0

101.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 GYD 442

$1.63 ฿53.2

30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 GYD 415

$1.14 ฿37.15

75.44%

Eggs

$4.11 GYD 855

$1.93 ฿63.1

112.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 GYD 2,838

$16.21 ฿530

-15.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 GYD 1,300

$3.12 ฿102

100.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 GYD 2,019

$10.90 ฿356

-10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$9.68 GYD 2,011

$2.75 ฿90.0

252.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 GYD 533

$1.21 ฿39.52

111.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 GYD 663

$1.62 ฿53.0

96.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 GYD 1,350

$1.59 ฿51.8

308.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 GYD 502

$1.40 ฿45.70

72.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 GYD 614

$1.17 ฿38.17

152.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 GYD 492

$0.66 ฿21.60

259.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 GYD 316

$0.53 ฿17.22

186.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 GYD 546

$4.69 ฿153

-43.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 GYD 3,531

$18.66 ฿609

-9.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 GYD 366

$1.80 ฿58.8

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 GYD 508

$3.23 ฿106

-24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 GYD 633

$1.41 ฿45.91

116.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.95 GYD 2,484

$7.84 ฿256

52.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 GYD 208

$1.27 ฿41.58

-21.26%

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

$21.9K GYD 4.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

3.03%

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

$17.3K GYD 3.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-21.99%

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

$90.6 GYD 18.8K

$69.1 ฿2,256

31.21%

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

$27.40 GYD 5,697

$14.08 ฿460

94.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 GYD 10.8K

$18.00 ฿588

189.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 GYD 1,408

$5.92 ฿193

14.36%

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

$1,007 GYD 209.3K

$299 ฿9,766

236.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

53.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.06 GYD 7,289

$54.7 ฿1,787

-35.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 GYD 11.2K

$26.77 ฿874

100.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 GYD 27.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

53.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

$70.6 ฿2,306

7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 GYD 203.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

58.81%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 59% 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 $71.0 in Fort Wellington versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $246 – 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 3% 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 $1,339 per month in Fort Wellington and $1,300 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 $71.0 in Fort Wellington and $19.00 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 $892 in Fort Wellington and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $892 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.