😐A single person spends $975 per month in Gyongyos vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,568 per month in Gyongyos vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,162 per month in Gyongyos vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Gyongyos costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Gyongyos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gyongyos27% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.16Ft 3,158
$1.96฿63.6
418.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.42Ft 13.2K
$18.81฿611
125.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.91Ft 2,458
$7.92฿258
-0.13%
Cappuccino
$2.03Ft 632
$1.91฿62.2
6.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37Ft 426
$0.84฿27.25
63.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95Ft 295
$0.35฿11.44
171.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.27Ft 705
$2.21฿71.7
2.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99Ft 619
$3.80฿124
-47.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07Ft 333
$1.64฿53.2
-34.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.23Ft 384
$1.62฿52.8
-24.07%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.53Ft 476
$1.18฿38.40
29.66%
Eggs
$2.11Ft 656
$2.01฿65.4
4.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.16Ft 2,847
$15.89฿517
-42.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.72Ft 1,778
$3.01฿98.0
90.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33Ft 3,523
$10.77฿350
5.20%
Apples(1kg)
$1.50Ft 467
$2.61฿85.0
-42.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.79Ft 556
$1.22฿39.65
46.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.03Ft 630
$1.70฿55.4
19.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.00Ft 1,245
$1.58฿51.2
153.16%
Potato(1kg)
$1.11Ft 344
$1.32฿42.89
-15.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.27Ft 395
$1.17฿38.01
8.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32Ft 409
$0.67฿21.85
97.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53Ft 164
$0.56฿18.21
-5.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84Ft 2,125
$4.53฿147
50.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.28Ft 1,641
$18.20฿592
-70.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04Ft 324
$1.83฿59.6
-43.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19Ft 370
$3.23฿105
-63.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.75Ft 233
$0.89฿28.83
-15.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$16.88Ft 5,247
$19.38฿630
-12.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.81Ft 874
$1.35฿43.95
108.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.94Ft 292
$1.35฿43.79
-30.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.96Ft 5,271
$8.25฿268
105.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.73Ft 539
$1.27฿41.40
36.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5KFt 7.6M
$21.2K฿687.8K
15.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2KFt 6.3M
$22.5K฿731.0K
-9.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$145Ft 45.1K
$70.2฿2,281
106.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.58Ft 7,020
$13.77฿448
63.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.02Ft 5,291
$17.60฿572
-3.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.95Ft 10.2K
$41.57฿1,352
-20.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.74Ft 2,717
$6.60฿215
32.42%
Cinema Ticket
$5.89Ft 1,831
$5.78฿188
1.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$469Ft 145.9K
$306฿9,953
53.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,802Ft 2.1M
$14.8K฿482.0K
-54.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4Ft 26.9K
$54.4฿1,768
58.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.46Ft 4,495
$26.14฿850
-44.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.9Ft 22.4K
$84.5฿2,748
-14.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.0Ft 22.7K
$69.4฿2,257
5.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$383Ft 119.0K
$424฿13.8K
-9.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$258Ft 80.1K
$238฿7,743
8.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$565Ft 175.6K
$825฿26.8K
-31.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$537Ft 166.8K
$515฿16.7K
4.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,967Ft 922.4K
$2,049฿66.6K
44.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,474Ft 769.1K
$1,523฿49.5K
62.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gyongyos
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$796Ft 247.4K
$635฿20.6K
25.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
5
60.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Gyongyos: April 27, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Gyongyos 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 25% 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 $42.00 in Gyongyos versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Gyongyos vs $243 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 14% 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 vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,462 per month in Gyongyos and $1,278 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 Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $469 per month in Gyongyos and $306 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 Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Gyongyos at $975. 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 $852 versus $975 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 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.