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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,172 per month in Grafton vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,136 per month in Grafton vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,099 per month in Grafton vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Grafton costs about 155% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Grafton sits 62% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.56 A$23.01

$1.96 ฿63.6

744.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 A$99.0

$18.81 ฿611

278.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 A$13.65

$7.92 ฿258

23.99%

Cappuccino

$3.10 A$4.32

$1.91 ฿62.2

62.30%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$0.84 ฿27.25

203.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 A$3.10

$0.35 ฿11.44

537.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.33 A$8.80

$2.21 ฿71.7

186.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 A$10.65

$3.80 ฿124

101.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 A$1.43

$1.64 ฿53.2

-37.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 A$3.19

$1.62 ฿52.8

41.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 A$2.61

$1.18 ฿38.40

59.32%

Eggs

$3.30 A$4.59

$2.01 ฿65.4

64.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 A$11.31

$15.89 ฿517

-48.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 A$9.81

$3.01 ฿98.0

134.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 A$18.63

$10.77 ฿350

24.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.69

$2.61 ฿85.0

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 A$1.79

$1.22 ฿39.65

5.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.61

$1.70 ฿55.4

52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 A$5.83

$1.58 ฿51.2

165.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.74

$1.32 ฿42.89

49.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 A$2.82

$1.17 ฿38.01

73.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 A$2.23

$0.67 ฿21.85

138.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 A$1.40

$0.56 ฿18.21

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.16 A$39.15

$4.53 ฿147

521.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 A$19.95

$18.20 ฿592

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.65 A$6.47

$1.83 ฿59.6

154.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 A$5.71

$3.23 ฿105

26.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.67

$0.89 ฿28.83

196.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 A$90.7

$19.38 ฿630

236.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 A$3.26

$1.35 ฿43.95

74.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 A$2.18

$1.35 ฿43.79

16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.87 A$47.08

$8.25 ฿268

310.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.27 ฿41.40

-3.15%

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

$28.4K A$39.5K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

34.27%

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

$22.5K A$31.2K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-0.05%

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

$143 A$199

$70.2 ฿2,281

104.36%

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

$25.82 A$35.89

$13.77 ฿448

87.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.08 A$64.0

$17.60 ฿572

161.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.39 A$68.7

$41.57 ฿1,352

18.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 A$22.07

$6.60 ฿215

140.61%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 A$15.12

$5.78 ฿188

88.24%

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

$643 A$894

$306 ฿9,953

110.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,942 A$4,090

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-80.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 A$98.8

$54.4 ฿1,768

30.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.72 A$60.8

$26.14 ฿850

67.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 A$129

$84.5 ฿2,748

9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 A$138

$69.4 ฿2,257

42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 A$1,772

$424 ฿13.8K

200.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 A$1,491

$238 ฿7,743

350.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 A$2,809

$825 ฿26.8K

144.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 A$2,312

$515 ฿16.7K

222.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,213 A$8,635

$2,049 ฿66.6K

203.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,006 A$6,959

$1,523 ฿49.5K

228.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,565 A$3,566

$635 ฿20.6K

303.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

24.80%

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

Last update for Grafton: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,275 in Grafton versus $424 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 304% higher in Grafton, 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 $71.0 in Grafton versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 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

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

Grafton costs about 155% 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 $3,257 per month in Grafton and $1,278 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 $643 per month in Grafton and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Grafton, 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 $852, than in Grafton at $2,172. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grafton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,172 in Grafton. 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, Grafton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.