Cost of Living Comparison Between Garliava and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Garliava and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,319 per month in Garliava vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,071 per month in Garliava vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,823 per month in Garliava vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Garliava costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garliava and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Garliava 2% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 €9.74

$1.96 ฿64.0

480.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 €55.1

$18.81 ฿615

241.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 €5.96

$7.92 ฿259

-12.12%

Cappuccino

$3.07 €2.63

$1.91 ฿62.6

60.73%

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

$2.23 €1.91

$0.84 ฿27.41

165.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.46

$0.35 ฿11.51

388.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 €4.44

$2.21 ฿72.1

134.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 €3.61

$3.80 ฿124

10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.64 ฿53.5

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.62 ฿53.1

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$1.18 ฿38.62

101.69%

Eggs

$2.76 €2.37

$2.01 ฿65.8

37.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 €9.00

$15.89 ฿520

-33.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 €6.61

$3.01 ฿98.5

156.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 €8.96

$10.77 ฿352

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.61 ฿85.5

-48.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.22 ฿39.88

31.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.70 ฿55.7

26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 €2.90

$1.58 ฿51.5

114.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 €0.70

$1.32 ฿43.14

-38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 €0.85

$1.17 ฿38.23

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 €1.50

$0.67 ฿21.98

162.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.74

$0.56 ฿18.32

55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 €4.98

$4.53 ฿148

28.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 €9.03

$18.20 ฿595

-42.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.83 ฿60.0

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.23 ฿106

-44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.89 ฿29.00

28.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.04 €29.14

$19.38 ฿634

75.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 €2.49

$1.35 ฿44.20

115.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.35 ฿44.05

-25.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.31 €7.97

$8.25 ฿270

12.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.27 ฿41.64

25.98%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

82.91%

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

$29.2K €25.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

29.87%

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

$208 €178

$70.2 ฿2,294

195.87%

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

$15.88 €13.59

$13.77 ฿450

15.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.98 €12.82

$17.60 ฿575

-14.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.44 €35.47

$41.57 ฿1,360

-0.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.61 €20.21

$6.60 ฿216

257.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.46 €8.10

$5.78 ฿189

63.67%

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

$467 €400

$306 ฿10.0K

52.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,788 €6,666

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-47.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 €73.5

$54.4 ฿1,778

57.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 €36.85

$26.14 ฿855

64.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 €70.6

$84.5 ฿2,764

-2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €97.6

$69.4 ฿2,270

64.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 €463

$424 ฿13.9K

27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 €306

$238 ฿7,788

50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 €711

$825 ฿27.0K

0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 €565

$515 ฿16.8K

28.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,644 €2,263

$2,049 ฿67.0K

28.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 €1,364

$1,523 ฿49.8K

4.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,422 €1,217

$635 ฿20.8K

123.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.13

-17.40%

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

Last update for Garliava: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Garliava versus $424 in Chiang Mai. 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 124% higher in Garliava, 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 $64.0 in Garliava versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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

Garliava vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garliava costs about 55% 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 $1,978 per month in Garliava and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $467 per month in Garliava and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Garliava, 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 $852, than in Garliava at $1,319. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Garliava it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,319 in Garliava. 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, Garliava makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.