Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint George's and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint George's and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Saint George's vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Saint George's vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,813 per month in Saint George's vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint George's costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint George's and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saint George's 8% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.23 EC$19.52

$1.96 ฿63.3

268.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 EC$304

$18.81 ฿608

498.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 EC$21.94

$7.92 ฿256

2.65%

Cappuccino

$4.50 EC$12.14

$1.91 ฿61.9

135.60%

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

$1.81 EC$4.88

$0.84 ฿27.11

115.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 EC$4.29

$0.35 ฿11.38

354.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 EC$5.47

$2.21 ฿71.3

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 EC$9.75

$3.80 ฿123

-5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.82 EC$10.32

$1.64 ฿52.9

132.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 EC$4.45

$1.62 ฿52.5

1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 EC$5.18

$1.18 ฿38.20

62.71%

Eggs

$4.15 EC$11.22

$2.01 ฿65.1

106.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 EC$27.15

$15.89 ฿514

-36.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 EC$15.26

$3.01 ฿97.4

87.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 EC$28.04

$10.77 ฿348

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 EC$6.96

$2.61 ฿84.5

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 EC$5.02

$1.22 ฿39.44

52.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 EC$4.79

$1.70 ฿55.1

4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 EC$8.16

$1.58 ฿51.0

91.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 EC$4.26

$1.32 ฿42.67

19.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 EC$4.09

$1.17 ฿37.81

29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 EC$3.41

$0.67 ฿21.74

88.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 EC$3.72

$0.56 ฿18.11

146.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 EC$5.14

$4.53 ฿147

-58.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 EC$17.15

$18.20 ฿589

-65.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 EC$4.93

$1.83 ฿59.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 EC$4.90

$3.23 ฿104

-43.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 EC$2.92

$0.89 ฿28.68

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.50 EC$101

$19.38 ฿627

93.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$22.48 EC$60.7

$1.35 ฿43.72

1565.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿267

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 EC$3.68

$1.27 ฿41.18

7.09%

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

$24.5K EC$66.3K

$21.2K ฿684.2K

16.04%

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

$30.1K EC$81.3K

$22.5K ฿727.2K

33.98%

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

$207 EC$558

$70.2 ฿2,269

194.58%

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

$18.56 EC$50.1

$13.77 ฿445

34.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.26 EC$128

$17.60 ฿569

168.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 EC$98.4

$41.57 ฿1,345

-12.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 EC$50.7

$6.60 ฿213

184.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 EC$29.68

$5.78 ฿187

90.14%

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

$55.7 EC$150

$306 ฿9,901

-81.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,290 EC$6,182

$14.8K ฿479.4K

-84.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.64 EC$69.2

$54.4 ฿1,758

-52.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.26 EC$120

$26.14 ฿845

69.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.16 EC$114

$84.5 ฿2,734

-50.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 EC$208

$69.4 ฿2,245

10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 EC$1,574

$424 ฿13.7K

37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 EC$771

$238 ฿7,703

19.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 EC$3,045

$825 ฿26.7K

36.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 EC$1,414

$515 ฿16.7K

1.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 EC$1,073

$2,049 ฿66.3K

-80.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$109.8K EC$296.5K

$1,523 ฿49.2K

7111.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 EC$2,493

$635 ฿20.5K

45.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

26.60%

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

Last update for Saint George's: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $583 in Saint George's 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 45% higher in Saint George's, 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 $113 in Saint George's versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 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

Saint George's vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint George's costs about 44% 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 $1,839 per month in Saint George's and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $55.7 per month in Saint George's and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Saint George's, 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 $852, than in Saint George's at $1,226. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint George's it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,226 in Saint George's. 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, Saint George's makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.