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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,211 per month in Geraldton vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Geraldton vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,377 per month in Geraldton vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Geraldton costs about 162% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Geraldton sits 65% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 A$22.63

$1.95 ฿63.2

729.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 A$110

$18.43 ฿597

325.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 A$13.55

$7.50 ฿243

29.07%

Cappuccino

$3.47 A$4.85

$1.93 ฿62.6

79.79%

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

$2.50 A$3.49

$0.78 ฿25.22

220.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.98

$0.32 ฿10.48

565.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 A$8.84

$2.15 ฿69.6

193.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 A$10.06

$3.71 ฿120

93.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.08

$1.71 ฿55.5

-12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 A$3.40

$1.56 ฿50.6

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$1.18 ฿38.27

66.10%

Eggs

$4.74 A$6.64

$1.98 ฿64.2

139.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.61

$16.04 ฿520

-48.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 A$11.84

$3.17 ฿103

166.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 A$19.45

$10.94 ฿355

27.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.62

$2.63 ฿85.1

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.97

$1.17 ฿37.82

141.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.65 ฿53.3

73.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.73

$1.54 ฿49.78

165.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.53

$1.38 ฿44.59

82.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 A$3.06

$1.17 ฿37.75

86.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 A$2.90

$0.66 ฿21.37

213.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.13

$0.51 ฿16.64

198.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.50 A$42.71

$4.52 ฿146

574.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 A$20.00

$18.32 ฿594

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.47 A$6.26

$1.80 ฿58.2

148.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 A$7.43

$3.18 ฿103

66.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.69

$0.90 ฿29.13

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 A$90.6

$19.00 ฿616

240.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.93

$1.41 ฿45.76

149.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.31 ฿42.39

22.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.31 A$46.63

$8.09 ฿262

311.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.28 ฿41.31

-7.81%

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

$29.2K A$40.9K

$21.3K ฿689.9K

37.18%

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

$22.5K A$31.5K

$21.7K ฿703.2K

3.71%

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

$180 A$252

$69.2 ฿2,242

160.25%

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

$27.61 A$38.66

$13.97 ฿453

97.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$73.7

$17.95 ฿582

193.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.29 A$69.0

$42.31 ฿1,371

16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 A$21.68

$6.66 ฿216

132.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 A$17.87

$5.92 ฿192

115.54%

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

$1,618 A$2,265

$299 ฿9,694

440.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$16.7K

$14.8K ฿481.1K

-19.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 A$95.4

$56.2 ฿1,820

21.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$71.7

$26.94 ฿873

89.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$84.9 ฿2,750

18.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$149

$71.8 ฿2,327

47.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 A$1,755

$435 ฿14.1K

188.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 A$1,515

$240 ฿7,771

351.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 A$2,840

$798 ฿25.8K

154.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 A$2,349

$498 ฿16.1K

236.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,404 A$8,965

$1,995 ฿64.6K

220.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,831 A$8,163

$1,532 ฿49.6K

280.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,511 A$3,515

$628 ฿20.4K

299.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Geraldton: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,254 in Geraldton versus $435 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 300% higher in Geraldton, 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 $78 in Geraldton versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $244 – 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

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

Geraldton costs about 162% 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 $3,316 per month in Geraldton and $1,267 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 $1,618 per month in Geraldton and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Geraldton, 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 $845, than in Geraldton at $2,211. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Geraldton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,211 in Geraldton. 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, Geraldton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.