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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,505 per month in Gongju vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,360 per month in Gongju vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,215 per month in Gongju vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gongju costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Gongju sits 13% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.5K

$1.96 ฿65.9

260.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.45 ₩54.2K

$18.35 ฿617

98.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 ₩9,044

$7.48 ฿252

-18.72%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₩6,278

$2.02 ฿67.8

108.91%

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

$1.87 ₩2,780

$0.85 ฿28.52

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩2,066

$0.36 ฿11.97

286.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,515

$2.14 ฿71.9

73.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 ₩8,869

$3.59 ฿121

66.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,513

$1.65 ฿55.5

43.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 ₩5,183

$1.57 ฿52.7

121.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,600

$1.19 ฿40.05

159.66%

Eggs

$3.02 ₩4,495

$1.94 ฿65.1

55.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₩15.7K

$16.19 ฿545

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 ₩11.9K

$2.99 ฿101

166.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.51 ₩40.9K

$10.94 ฿368

151.46%

Apples (1kg)

$8.22 ₩12.2K

$2.71 ฿91.2

203.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,622

$1.17 ฿39.27

165.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.24 ₩10.8K

$1.69 ฿56.8

328.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 ₩7,770

$1.60 ฿54.0

226.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.99 ₩7,428

$1.38 ฿46.56

261.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,396

$1.20 ฿40.47

145.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,134

$0.67 ฿22.51

214.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,804

$0.56 ฿18.74

116.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,980

$4.64 ฿156

-27.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.00 ₩25.3K

$17.62 ฿593

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,529

$1.86 ฿62.6

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,020

$3.30 ฿111

2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,656

$0.88 ฿29.70

26.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩5,227

$1.36 ฿45.92

158.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 ₩1,236

$1.34 ฿45.00

-38.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.32 ₩24.3K

$8.21 ฿276

98.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,799

$1.22 ฿41.20

-0.82%

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

$27.7K ₩41.2M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

29.80%

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

$25.4K ₩37.8M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

12.68%

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

$187 ₩278.0K

$70.7 ฿2,378

164.37%

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

$50.1 ₩74.5K

$14.04 ฿472

256.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.70 ₩41.2K

$17.49 ฿589

58.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.11 ₩71.6K

$42.15 ฿1,418

14.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 ₩17.2K

$5.92 ฿199

95.27%

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

$495 ₩736.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

60.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.3M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-3.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩151.5K

$55.8 ฿1,876

82.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.60 ₩69.3K

$26.11 ฿879

78.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 ₩129.0K

$83.0 ฿2,793

4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩174.7K

$70.5 ฿2,371

66.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₩662.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₩570.1K

$239 ฿8,040

60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ₩1.6M

$822 ฿27.7K

28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₩1.1M

$512 ฿17.2K

49.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,265 ₩12.3M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

331.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 ₩7.7M

$1,467 ฿49.4K

251.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,156 ₩1.7M

$579 ฿19.5K

99.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

-15.60%

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

Last update for Gongju: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Gongju versus $432 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 100% higher in Gongju, 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 $36.00 in Gongju versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 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

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

Gongju costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,258 per month in Gongju and $1,292 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Gongju and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Gongju, 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 $861, than in Gongju at $1,505. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,505 in Gongju. 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, Gongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.