😐A single person spends $1,029 per month in Gyongyos vs $926 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,645 per month in Gyongyos vs $1,381 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,261 per month in Gyongyos vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Gyongyos costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Gyongyos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gyongyos24% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.38Ft 3,066
$2.10฿70.6
346.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.93Ft 15.3K
$19.22฿645
144.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.15Ft 2,990
$5.47฿184
67.28%
Cappuccino
$2.16Ft 706
$1.69฿56.6
27.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55Ft 505
$0.65฿21.71
138.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05Ft 343
$0.31฿10.32
238.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39Ft 781
$2.32฿77.8
3.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19Ft 715
$3.91฿131
-43.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.15Ft 376
$2.07฿69.3
-44.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.33Ft 433
$1.53฿51.4
-13.07%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67Ft 547
$1.25฿41.93
33.60%
Eggs
$2.26Ft 738
$2.19฿73.6
3.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.63Ft 3,475
$15.94฿535
-33.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.70Ft 2,189
$2.76฿92.7
142.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.52Ft 4,095
$9.74฿327
28.54%
Apples(1kg)
$1.63Ft 532
$2.66฿89.1
-38.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.91Ft 625
$1.05฿35.32
81.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05Ft 671
$1.66฿55.6
23.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.40Ft 1,112
$1.48฿49.49
129.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.00Ft 327
$1.21฿40.73
-17.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06Ft 347
$1.10฿36.95
-3.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37Ft 449
$0.76฿25.50
80.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54Ft 178
$0.50฿16.66
8.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.31Ft 2,389
$4.38฿147
66.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.25Ft 1,715
$17.50฿587
-70.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18Ft 387
$1.66฿55.7
-28.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46Ft 478
$2.78฿93.2
-47.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.73Ft 240
$0.86฿28.88
-15.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.44Ft 6,028
$53.7฿1,803
-65.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09Ft 1,011
$1.22฿40.87
153.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.11Ft 362
$0.56฿18.80
98.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.28Ft 5,978
$2.34฿78.6
681.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.82Ft 594
$1.45฿48.57
25.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3KFt 8.6M
$21.1K฿706.4K
24.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.7KFt 7.1M
$26.3K฿882.3K
-17.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$132Ft 43.1K
$63.6฿2,133
107.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.99Ft 7,190
$12.56฿422
75.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.32Ft 5,990
$20.04฿672
-8.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.57Ft 11.3K
$38.73฿1,299
-10.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.12Ft 2,983
$3.80฿127
140.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.12Ft 2,000
$6.47฿217
-5.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$254Ft 83.1K
$777฿26.1K
-67.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,759Ft 2.2M
$14.6K฿489.1K
-53.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.7Ft 29.3K
$55.2฿1,853
62.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.64Ft 5,115
$24.77฿831
-36.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.0Ft 25.8K
$90.3฿3,029
-12.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.2Ft 24.9K
$73.5฿2,467
3.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$410Ft 134.2K
$466฿15.6K
-12.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$281Ft 91.8K
$286฿9,601
-1.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$610Ft 199.5K
$866฿29.0K
-29.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$582Ft 190.2K
$525฿17.6K
10.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,911Ft 952.0K
$1,978฿66.4K
47.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,633Ft 860.9K
$1,461฿49.0K
80.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$752Ft 246.0K
$581฿19.5K
29.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
5.57
19.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Gyongyos: September 27, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $410 in Gyongyos versus $466 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 29% higher in Gyongyos, 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 $47.00 in Gyongyos versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Gyongyos vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Gyongyos 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
Gyongyos vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gyongyos or Chiang Mai?
Gyongyos costs about 11% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gyongyos and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Gyongyos and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Gyongyos or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Gyongyos and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $254 per month in Gyongyos and $777 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Gyongyos or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Gyongyos – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Gyongyos or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Gyongyos at $1,029. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gyongyos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gyongyos or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $926 versus $1,029 in Gyongyos. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Gyongyos 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 Gyongyos or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gyongyos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.