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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in George vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in George vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,445 per month in George vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

George costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both George and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – George 21% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 R 187

$2.04 ฿68.2

458.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.28 R 630

$18.71 ฿624

104.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.8

$7.86 ฿262

-36.77%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 32.34

$2.03 ฿67.7

-3.45%

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

$1.50 R 24.66

$0.80 ฿26.64

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.15

$0.35 ฿11.68

231.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.36

$2.14 ฿71.5

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.44

$3.67 ฿122

-18.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.07

$1.73 ฿57.6

-32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.57

$1.57 ฿52.4

-31.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.18

$1.20 ฿39.99

37.50%

Eggs

$2.90 R 47.66

$1.97 ฿65.8

47.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 R 154

$16.23 ฿541

-42.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 R 78.2

$3.06 ฿102

55.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 R 123

$10.80 ฿360

-30.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.94

$2.77 ฿92.3

-36.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.50

$1.17 ฿38.94

42.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.39

$1.71 ฿57.0

-16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.47

$1.59 ฿53.2

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.27

$1.39 ฿46.51

10.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.48

$1.16 ฿38.56

43.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.04

$0.66 ฿22.05

93.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.64

$0.52 ฿17.31

82.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 R 52.2

$4.65 ฿155

-31.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 R 77.3

$17.78 ฿593

-73.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 19.89

$1.79 ฿59.6

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 R 25.84

$3.34 ฿111

-52.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.67

$0.91 ฿30.27

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.56 R 421

$18.64 ฿622

37.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.92

$1.41 ฿47.04

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.81

$1.34 ฿44.70

-28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 R 64.5

$8.11 ฿270

-51.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.59

$1.23 ฿41.16

-3.25%

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

$21.3K R 350.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-0.80%

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

$21.1K R 346.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-3.49%

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

$126 R 2,074

$71.3 ฿2,379

76.60%

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

$16.00 R 263

$14.01 ฿467

14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 R 847

$17.93 ฿598

187.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.54 R 453

$40.82 ฿1,362

-32.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.38 R 187

$6.88 ฿230

65.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 R 90.1

$5.72 ฿191

-4.37%

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

$128 R 2,104

$308 ฿10.3K

-58.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 R 78.7K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-67.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,217

$55.8 ฿1,860

32.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.24 R 531

$26.04 ฿869

23.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 R 1,613

$84.8 ฿2,829

15.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 R 1,441

$71.0 ฿2,368

23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,639

$423 ฿14.1K

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R 5,343

$242 ฿8,088

33.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.7K

$797 ฿26.6K

-11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 R 13.3K

$507 ฿16.9K

59.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 R 5,802

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-81.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$240 R 3,957

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-83.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,311 R 21.6K

$595 ฿19.9K

120.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

117.60%

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

Last update for George: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in George versus $423 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 120% higher in George, 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 $38.00 in George versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in George vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so George wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

George costs about 24% 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 $1,587 per month in George and $1,279 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 $128 per month in George and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in George – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in George and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,058 in George. 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, George makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.