Cost of Living Comparison Between Jolly Harbour and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jolly Harbour and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,267 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,896 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,524 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jolly Harbour costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jolly Harbour and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jolly Harbour 7% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.08 EC$24.52

$2.08 ฿69.5

336.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 EC$203

$19.61 ฿655

283.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 EC$19.40

$5.67 ฿189

26.81%

Cappuccino

$5.61 EC$15.13

$1.81 ฿60.3

209.94%

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

$2.21 EC$5.96

$0.77 ฿25.65

187.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 EC$3.06

$0.35 ฿11.53

222.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 EC$15.11

$2.21 ฿73.9

153.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.32

$3.79 ฿127

20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 EC$7.85

$1.51 ฿50.6

92.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.70 EC$15.39

$1.40 ฿46.69

307.14%

Eggs

$7.83 EC$21.14

$2.26 ฿75.4

246.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.72 EC$15.43

$16.19 ฿540

-64.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 EC$16.70

$2.90 ฿96.7

113.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 EC$45.74

$9.42 ฿314

79.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 EC$15.23

$2.68 ฿89.4

110.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 EC$5.03

$1.09 ฿36.37

70.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 EC$7.82

$1.62 ฿54.0

79.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 EC$14.70

$1.46 ฿48.74

272.60%

Potato (1kg)

$5.46 EC$14.75

$1.28 ฿42.65

326.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.30 EC$17.01

$0.72 ฿23.94

775.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 EC$35.62

$18.29 ฿611

-27.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 EC$3.56

$1.63 ฿54.4

-19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 EC$4.91

$2.90 ฿96.8

-37.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 EC$4.89

$0.88 ฿29.32

105.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.69 EC$15.37

$0.58 ฿19.30

881.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 EC$1.96

$1.45 ฿48.41

-49.66%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

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

$521 EC$1,406

$63.7 ฿2,125

718.38%

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

$12.89 ฿430

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 EC$181

$20.52 ฿685

226.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 EC$202

$39.02 ฿1,302

91.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.1 EC$151

$3.92 ฿131

1329.85%

Cinema Ticket

$16.59 EC$44.79

$6.58 ฿220

152.13%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.72%

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

Last update for Jolly Harbour: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Jolly Harbour versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 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

Jolly Harbour vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jolly Harbour costs about 36% 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 $1,900 per month in Jolly Harbour and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,267 in Jolly Harbour and $932 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Jolly Harbour, 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 $932, than in Jolly Harbour at $1,267. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jolly Harbour it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,267 in Jolly Harbour. 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, Jolly Harbour makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.