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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,132 per month in Grahamstown vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,766 per month in Grahamstown vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Grahamstown vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Grahamstown costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Grahamstown and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Grahamstown 17% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.22 R 149

$2.11 ฿69.1

336.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.66 R 703

$19.75 ฿648

121.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 R 94.7

$5.85 ฿192

0.51%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 34.54

$1.76 ฿57.8

21.59%

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

$1.04 R 16.70

$0.74 ฿24.37

40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R 11.89

$0.33 ฿10.90

124.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 R 45.55

$2.47 ฿81.0

14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 R 50.7

$3.88 ฿127

-18.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.42

$1.90 ฿62.4

-36.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.39

$1.67 ฿54.7

-35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.75

$1.35 ฿44.24

14.07%

Eggs

$2.78 R 44.71

$2.14 ฿70.2

29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 R 144

$15.89 ฿521

-43.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 R 88.0

$2.83 ฿92.9

93.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 R 139

$10.53 ฿345

-18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 36.28

$2.38 ฿78.2

-5.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.59

$1.07 ฿35.01

42.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.16

$1.52 ฿49.79

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.29

$1.50 ฿49.30

17.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.24

$1.28 ฿41.96

32.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.37

$1.10 ฿36.17

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R 20.53

$0.69 ฿22.54

84.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 17.06

$0.49 ฿16.18

116.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 R 53.0

$4.27 ฿140

-22.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.85 R 78.1

$16.78 ฿550

-71.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 20.06

$1.66 ฿54.4

-24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 R 30.12

$2.81 ฿92.3

-33.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.39

$0.90 ฿29.44

67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 R 9.62

$1.20 ฿39.24

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R 8.06

$0.54 ฿17.78

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.53 R 137

$2.37 ฿77.9

259.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 R 22.56

$1.43 ฿46.88

-2.10%

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

$36.8K R 592.1K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

74.40%

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

$34.4K R 554.7K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

26.93%

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

$125 R 2,017

$64.7 ฿2,124

93.39%

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

$34.98 R 563

$13.19 ฿433

165.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.38 R 747

$19.44 ฿638

138.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.24 R 519

$39.45 ฿1,294

-18.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 R 177

$6.62 ฿217

66.31%

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

$179 R 2,880

$805 ฿26.4K

-77.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,052 R 81.4K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-66.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 R 1,182

$54.8 ฿1,796

34.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.63 R 671

$25.43 ฿834

63.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 R 1,839

$91.9 ฿3,015

24.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 R 1,614

$74.7 ฿2,449

34.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 R 6,375

$467 ฿15.3K

-15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 R 5,945

$282 ฿9,251

30.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 R 12.1K

$891 ฿29.2K

-15.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 R 12.3K

$521 ฿17.1K

46.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.3K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-55.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$650 R 10.5K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-55.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 R 19.3K

$592 ฿19.4K

101.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

5.57

114.36%

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

Last update for Grahamstown: August 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Grahamstown versus $467 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 102% higher in Grahamstown, 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 $44.00 in Grahamstown versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Grahamstown vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Grahamstown wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Grahamstown costs about 23% 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 $1,698 per month in Grahamstown and $1,380 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 $44.00 in Grahamstown and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Grahamstown – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Grahamstown at $1,132. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grahamstown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,132 in Grahamstown. 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, Grahamstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.