Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Gili Air vs $905 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,366 per month in Gili Air vs $1,374 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,907 per month in Gili Air vs $1,843 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gili Air is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Gili Air and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gili Air 39% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 Rp 31.8K

$2.08 ฿68.9

-14.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 Rp 365.6K

$19.52 ฿646

4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.91 Rp 52.1K

$5.94 ฿197

-51.01%

Cappuccino

$1.41 Rp 25.3K

$1.70 ฿56.4

-17.06%

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

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$0.72 ฿23.81

23.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,943

$0.32 ฿10.74

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

$2.44 ฿80.9

-40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$3.66 ฿121

-39.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Rp 20.1K

$1.86 ฿61.5

-39.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

$1.56 ฿51.6

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$1.33 ฿44.00

-44.36%

Eggs

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

$2.16 ฿71.5

-31.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 Rp 225.7K

$15.58 ฿516

-19.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.7K

$2.85 ฿94.2

-0.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 Rp 153.5K

$10.39 ฿344

-17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

$2.44 ฿80.6

6.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$1.09 ฿36.04

5.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

$1.47 ฿48.65

12.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

$1.49 ฿49.34

-8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$1.20 ฿39.67

5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.09 ฿35.92

44.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.69 ฿22.76

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,616

$0.51 ฿17.00

-27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$4.37 ฿145

-64.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.71 Rp 299.4K

$16.63 ฿551

0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

$1.65 ฿54.5

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

$2.74 ฿90.8

-29.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,936

$0.94 ฿31.21

-76.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.72 Rp 120.4K

$54.7 ฿1,812

-87.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 Rp 6,383

$1.23 ฿40.60

-70.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,733

$0.57 ฿18.98

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 Rp 86.5K

$2.36 ฿78.1

104.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$1.45 ฿47.96

-55.86%

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

$19.4K Rp 347.6M

$20.8K ฿689.9K

-6.90%

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

$25.1K Rp 449.3M

$26.3K ฿869.5K

-4.52%

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

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

$62.3 ฿2,063

6.11%

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

$5.05 Rp 90.5K

$13.01 ฿431

-61.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.94 Rp 267.6K

$19.45 ฿644

-23.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 Rp 578.2K

$38.68 ฿1,280

-16.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 Rp 192.1K

$3.86 ฿128

177.98%

Cinema Ticket

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

$6.62 ฿219

-62.24%

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

$328 Rp 5.9M

$782 ฿25.9K

-58.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 Rp 70.8M

$14.8K ฿490.0K

-73.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.33 Rp 650.9K

$54.1 ฿1,789

-32.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 Rp 502.9K

$25.39 ฿840

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 Rp 1.1M

$90.9 ฿3,010

-29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 Rp 1.1M

$74.0 ฿2,448

-13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 Rp 9.5M

$476 ฿15.7K

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 Rp 5.8M

$275 ฿9,095

17.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 Rp 31.0M

$881 ฿29.2K

96.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 Rp 14.6M

$528 ฿17.5K

54.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,350 Rp 24.2M

$1,989 ฿65.8K

-32.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 Rp 19.1M

$1,476 ฿48.9K

-27.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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

Last update for Gili Air: August 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Gili Air versus $476 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Gili Air versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $234 – making Gili Air 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

Gili Air vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Gili Air, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,238 per month in Gili Air and $1,358 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Gili Air and $782 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Chiang Mai at $905. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gili Air costs $825 versus $905 in Chiang Mai. 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 Gili Air. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.