Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gordon Town and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,002 in Gordon Town, rent and utilities included – about $770 less a year. The total is higher in Gordon Town despite lower rent and utilities.

Gordon Town
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,002
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gordon Town and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gordon Town and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,002 per month in Gordon Town vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Gordon Town $1,002
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,657 per month in Gordon Town vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Gordon Town $1,657
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,311 per month in Gordon Town vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Gordon Town $2,311
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Gordon Town costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gordon Town and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gordon Town 26% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.39 JMD 2,116
$2.26 ฿75.4
492.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.2 JMD 11.7K
$19.18 ฿641
287.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.03 JMD 1,269
$5.59 ฿187
43.65%
Cappuccino
$5.17 JMD 817
$1.72 ฿57.6
200.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 JMD 189
$0.64 ฿21.54
87.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 JMD 108
$0.33 ฿11.18
106.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 JMD 345
$2.36 ฿78.7
-7.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 JMD 507
$3.90 ฿130
-17.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.24 JMD 670
$2.05 ฿68.6
106.83%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 JMD 588
$1.40 ฿46.70
165.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 JMD 258
$1.28 ฿42.89
27.34%
Eggs
$3.45 JMD 545
$2.25 ฿75.3
53.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 JMD 1,790
$16.94 ฿566
-33.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.34 JMD 1,001
$2.74 ฿91.6
131.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.27 JMD 1,622
$9.36 ฿313
9.72%
Apples (1kg)
$6.05 JMD 955
$2.40 ฿80.3
152.08%
Banana (1kg)
$3.97 JMD 627
$1.01 ฿33.92
293.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.20 JMD 1,138
$1.61 ฿53.9
347.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.11 JMD 491
$1.52 ฿50.7
104.61%
Potato (1kg)
$3.25 JMD 513
$1.28 ฿42.90
153.91%
Onion (1kg)
$2.70 JMD 427
$1.11 ฿37.22
143.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.10 JMD 490
$0.72 ฿24.09
330.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 JMD 238
$0.52 ฿17.54
190.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.63 JMD 1,521
$4.33 ฿145
122.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.21 JMD 1,771
$17.73 ฿593
-36.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.86 JMD 452
$1.63 ฿54.4
75.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 JMD 643
$2.85 ฿95.3
42.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.85 ฿28.31
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.9 ฿1,801
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 JMD 185
$1.17 ฿39.18
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.21 JMD 507
$0.57 ฿19.00
463.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 JMD 983
$2.37 ฿79.2
162.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 JMD 230
$1.45 ฿48.32
0.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.8K JMD 6.9M
$20.5K ฿684.3K
113.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K JMD 5.2M
$26.5K ฿886.1K
24.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 JMD 26.7K
$62.3 ฿2,083
171.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.50 JMD 4,660
$12.27 ฿410
140.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.6 JMD 8,148
$19.97 ฿668
158.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.91 ฿1,267
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.76 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.96 JMD 2,047
$6.71 ฿224
93.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$366 JMD 57.8K
$797 ฿26.6K
-54.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,205 JMD 1.3M
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-44.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.45 JMD 3,704
$53.3 ฿1,780
-55.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.21 JMD 4,931
$25.05 ฿837
24.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.0 JMD 12.0K
$91.6 ฿3,062
-17.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 JMD 16.3K
$73.5 ฿2,455
40.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$464 ฿15.5K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$305 ฿10.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$915 ฿30.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$552 ฿18.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gordon Town
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿19.9K
-
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 Gordon Town: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gordon Town
$385
Chiang Mai
$238 38.2% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gordon Town
$250
Chiang Mai
$95 62.2% $156
Eating Out
Gordon Town
$218
Chiang Mai
$79 63.8% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Gordon Town
$105
Chiang Mai
$110 4.1% $4.3
Sport & Entertainment
Gordon Town
$26 *
Chiang Mai
$51 98.1% $25
Getting Around
Gordon Town
$17 *
Chiang Mai
$61 256% $44
Accommodation & Living
Gordon Town
- *
Chiang Mai
$305

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Gordon Town versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇲 Gordon Town
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
13:32 1:32 PM
01:32 1:32 AM
12 h ahead of Gordon Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,088
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to JMD – Jamaican Dollar Converter

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gordon Town Chiang Mai 15,890 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gordon Town
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Gordon Town vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gordon Town or Chiang Mai?
Gordon Town costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gordon Town and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,503 per month in Gordon Town and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Gordon Town and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Gordon Town and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Gordon Town or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 62% more in Gordon Town, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Gordon Town or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Gordon Town at $1,002. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gordon Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gordon Town or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,002 in Gordon Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Gordon Town compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Gordon Town or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gordon Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Gordon Town vs other spots: cost of living compared

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