Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden Grove and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden Grove and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Golden Grove vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,690 per month in Golden Grove vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Golden Grove vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Golden Grove costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Golden Grove and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Golden Grove 25% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.80 JMD 2,476

$2.08 ฿69.2

659.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

$19.61 ฿652

280.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 JMD 1,407

$5.67 ฿189

58.38%

Cappuccino

$5.33 JMD 835

$1.81 ฿60.0

194.48%

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

$1.16 JMD 181

$0.77 ฿25.55

50.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 114

$0.35 ฿11.48

105.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 JMD 351

$2.21 ฿73.6

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 485

$3.79 ฿126

-18.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.13 JMD 647

$2.05 ฿68.1

101.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 581

$1.51 ฿50.4

145.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 JMD 259

$1.40 ฿46.51

17.86%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 561

$2.26 ฿75.1

58.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 JMD 1,794

$16.19 ฿538

-29.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 JMD 1,020

$2.90 ฿96.3

124.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 JMD 1,596

$9.42 ฿313

8.07%

Apples (1kg)

$6.24 JMD 979

$2.68 ฿89.1

132.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 JMD 603

$1.09 ฿36.23

253.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.37 JMD 1,156

$1.62 ฿53.8

354.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 485

$1.46 ฿48.55

111.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 JMD 526

$1.28 ฿42.48

161.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 JMD 427

$1.06 ฿35.17

157.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 472

$0.72 ฿23.85

318.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 237

$0.53 ฿17.49

184.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 JMD 1,463

$4.23 ฿141

120.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 JMD 1,778

$18.29 ฿608

-37.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 455

$1.63 ฿54.2

77.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 JMD 645

$2.90 ฿96.5

42.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 JMD 190

$1.17 ฿38.99

3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 501

$0.58 ฿19.22

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 964

$2.39 ฿79.3

157.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 214

$1.45 ฿48.22

-5.52%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.8M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

107.49%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

25.78%

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

$177 JMD 27.7K

$63.7 ฿2,116

177.52%

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

$29.19 JMD 4,574

$12.89 ฿429

126.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 JMD 8,173

$20.52 ฿682

154.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 JMD 2,106

$6.58 ฿219

104.26%

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

$365 JMD 57.2K

$784 ฿26.1K

-53.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,100 JMD 1.3M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.93 JMD 3,750

$55.1 ฿1,833

-56.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.75 JMD 4,977

$24.74 ฿823

28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 JMD 12.4K

$94.1 ฿3,130

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 JMD 16.5K

$74.0 ฿2,459

42.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

5.57

69.66%

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

Last update for Golden Grove: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Golden Grove versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $241 – 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

Golden Grove vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Golden Grove costs about 10% 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 $1,543 per month in Golden Grove and $1,398 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 $75.0 in Golden Grove and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Golden Grove, 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 $932, than in Golden Grove at $1,029. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Golden Grove it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,029 in Golden Grove. 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, Golden Grove makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.