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 $1,319 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,598 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jolly Harbour costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jolly Harbour and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jolly Harbour 2% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.51 EC$25.67

$1.96 ฿64.0

385.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 EC$197

$18.81 ฿615

288.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 EC$20.17

$7.92 ฿259

-5.68%

Cappuccino

$5.71 EC$15.42

$1.91 ฿62.6

198.95%

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

$2.16 EC$5.83

$0.84 ฿27.41

157.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 EC$2.96

$0.35 ฿11.51

211.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 EC$15.11

$2.21 ฿72.1

153.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 EC$12.05

$3.80 ฿124

17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 EC$7.82

$1.62 ฿53.1

79.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 EC$12.74

$1.18 ฿38.62

300.00%

Eggs

$8.19 EC$22.11

$2.01 ฿65.8

307.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 EC$15.25

$15.89 ฿520

-64.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.01 EC$18.94

$3.01 ฿98.5

132.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 EC$45.02

$10.77 ฿352

54.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 EC$14.85

$2.61 ฿85.5

110.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 EC$4.97

$1.22 ฿39.88

50.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 EC$8.43

$1.70 ฿55.7

83.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 EC$9.77

$1.58 ฿51.5

129.11%

Potato (1kg)

$6.93 EC$18.71

$1.32 ฿43.14

425.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 EC$6.44

$1.17 ฿38.23

104.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 EC$10.33

$0.67 ฿21.98

471.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 EC$11.77

$0.56 ฿18.32

678.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 EC$35.40

$18.20 ฿595

-27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 EC$3.58

$1.83 ฿60.0

-27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 EC$8.36

$3.23 ฿106

-4.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 EC$4.91

$0.89 ฿29.00

104.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.71 EC$15.43

$1.35 ฿44.05

322.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 EC$1.81

$1.27 ฿41.64

-47.24%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

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

$517 EC$1,396

$70.2 ฿2,294

636.92%

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

$13.77 ฿450

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 EC$177

$17.60 ฿575

273.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 EC$203

$41.57 ฿1,360

81.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 EC$153

$6.60 ฿216

756.67%

Cinema Ticket

$16.37 EC$44.20

$5.78 ฿189

183.22%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Jolly Harbour: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Jolly Harbour versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $243 – 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 55% 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 $1,978 per month in Jolly Harbour and $1,278 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 $1,319 in Jolly Harbour and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 58% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,319 in Jolly Harbour and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,319 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.