Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $899 per month in Green Island vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,446 per month in Green Island vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,994 per month in Green Island vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Green Island costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Green Island and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Green Island 33% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 JMD 1,208

$1.98 ฿65.0

287.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,878

$18.80 ฿619

234.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 JMD 1,372

$7.75 ฿255

12.52%

Cappuccino

$4.42 JMD 695

$1.92 ฿63.2

130.21%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$0.79 ฿26.07

65.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.36 ฿11.74

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 JMD 391

$2.21 ฿72.9

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$3.66 ฿120

-12.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 686

$1.65 ฿54.4

164.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 JMD 577

$1.63 ฿53.7

125.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.19 ฿39.28

30.25%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$2.00 ฿65.8

78.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 JMD 1,771

$15.98 ฿526

-29.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$3.03 ฿99.6

112.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,206

$10.86 ฿357

-29.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 JMD 927

$2.76 ฿90.9

113.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.18 ฿38.83

161.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.64 ฿54.0

156.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 JMD 455

$1.52 ฿50.0

90.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 331

$1.38 ฿45.59

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.19 ฿39.25

68.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 493

$0.70 ฿23.11

347.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$0.56 ฿18.32

158.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 JMD 1,389

$4.58 ฿151

92.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 JMD 1,784

$16.56 ฿545

-31.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 437

$1.83 ฿60.2

51.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

$3.20 ฿105

-4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$1.36 ฿44.64

-21.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$1.34 ฿44.12

142.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 970

$7.84 ฿258

-21.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.23 ฿40.35

4.88%

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

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

$21.6K ฿711.8K

95.63%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$22.5K ฿742.2K

47.53%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$70.5 ฿2,322

133.67%

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

$22.16 JMD 3,486

$13.68 ฿450

61.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.98 JMD 7,862

$17.45 ฿574

186.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 JMD 2,055

$5.77 ฿190

126.52%

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

$224 JMD 35.3K

$307 ฿10.1K

-26.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-83.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.45 JMD 4,160

$55.8 ฿1,837

-52.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 JMD 4,041

$26.21 ฿863

-1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$85.8 ฿2,823

-18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

$72.2 ฿2,378

4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Green Island: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Green Island versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 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

Green Island vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Green Island costs about 3% 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 $1,348 per month in Green Island and $1,303 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 $63.0 in Green Island and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Green Island, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $899 in Green Island and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $899 in Green Island. 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, Green Island makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.