Guangzhou vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Guangzhou (China) · Overall index 40.1 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 35% cheaper than Guangzhou.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 51% cheaper than in Guangzhou.
- Transport in Chiang Mai is 35% cheaper than in Guangzhou.
| Item | Guangzhou | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -51% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $970 | $477 | -51% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $560 | $325 | -42% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,686 | $805 | -52% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,258 | $542 | -57% |
| Groceries | -33% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.63 | $0.53 | -16% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.19 | $1.44 | -34% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.72 | $1.68 | -38% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.68 | $1.78 | -34% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.55 | $4.79 | -37% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $7.12 | $4.84 | -32% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $9.09 | $6.72 | -26% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.88 | $2.14 | -26% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.03 | $0.79 | -23% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.61 | $1.82 | -30% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.22 | $2.21 | -31% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.67 | $1.07 | -36% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.64 | $0.94 | -43% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.53 | $0.93 | -39% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.42 | $0.87 | -39% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $8.17 | $5.67 | -31% |
| Transport | -35% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.13 | $0.71 | -37% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $52.5 | $38.2 | -27% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.8 | $1.11 | -38% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.83 | $0.56 | -33% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.46 | $0.29 | -37% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,269 | $8,510 | -36% |
| Dining out | -32% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $10.2 | $6.98 | -32% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $57.2 | $40 | -30% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.1 | $3.87 | -37% |
| Cappuccino | $2.47 | $1.62 | -34% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.19 | $0.9 | -24% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.34 | $2.41 | -28% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.2 | $2.63 | -37% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.92 | $0.64 | -30% |
| Telecom | -30% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33 | $24.9 | -25% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $40.5 | $26.6 | -34% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.2 | $0.15 | -25% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $9.49 | $6.1 | -36% |
| Utilities & household | -29% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $84.8 | $67.6 | -20% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.11 | $0.08 | -27% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.63 | $1.58 | -40% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.84 | $0.56 | -33% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $11.3 | $8.03 | -29% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $42.5 | $32.5 | -24% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.11 | $6.4 | -21% |
| Men's haircut | $15.9 | $10.6 | -33% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $14.7 | $9.66 | -34% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,077 | $810 | -25% |
3,370 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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