Cost of Living Comparison Between Bel Air and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bel Air and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Bel Air versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Bel Air versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,395 in Bel Air versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bel Air is roughly 20% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bel Air 24% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 MUR 314

$1.96 ฿64.0

242.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.62 MUR 2,041

$18.81 ฿615

131.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 MUR 342

$7.92 ฿259

-7.70%

Cappuccino

$1.13 MUR 52.8

$1.91 ฿62.6

-40.84%

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

$1.04 MUR 48.47

$0.84 ฿27.41

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.35

$0.35 ฿11.51

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 MUR 78.4

$2.21 ฿72.1

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 MUR 150

$3.80 ฿124

-15.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MUR 76.9

$1.64 ฿53.5

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.33

$1.62 ฿53.1

-56.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MUR 59.5

$1.18 ฿38.62

7.63%

Eggs

$2.31 MUR 108

$2.01 ฿65.8

14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 MUR 546

$15.89 ฿520

-26.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 MUR 286

$3.01 ฿98.5

103.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 MUR 594

$10.77 ฿352

17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.2

$2.61 ฿85.5

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 91.6

$1.22 ฿39.88

60.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.4

$1.70 ฿55.7

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 MUR 123

$1.58 ฿51.5

65.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.11

$1.32 ฿43.14

-21.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MUR 43.19

$1.17 ฿38.23

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MUR 36.58

$0.67 ฿21.98

16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.72

$0.56 ฿18.32

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 MUR 316

$4.53 ฿148

49.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.61 MUR 403

$18.20 ฿595

-52.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 80.6

$1.83 ฿60.0

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 MUR 100

$3.23 ฿106

-33.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 48.61

$0.89 ฿29.00

16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 MUR 210

$1.35 ฿44.20

231.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 MUR 123

$1.35 ฿44.05

95.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.76 MUR 924

$8.25 ฿270

139.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.5

$1.27 ฿41.64

14.96%

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

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

67.12%

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

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

26.98%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,356

$70.2 ฿2,294

-28.23%

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

$18.45 MUR 863

$13.77 ฿450

33.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.73 MUR 1,578

$17.60 ฿575

91.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.42 MUR 1,798

$41.57 ฿1,360

-7.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 MUR 284

$5.78 ฿189

5.02%

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

$153 MUR 7,159

$306 ฿10.0K

-50.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,956 MUR 185.1K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-73.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,042

$54.4 ฿1,778

58.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.2 MUR 3,755

$26.14 ฿855

206.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,147

$84.5 ฿2,764

55.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 MUR 4,477

$69.4 ฿2,270

37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MUR 24.0K

$424 ฿13.9K

20.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 MUR 16.6K

$238 ฿7,788

48.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MUR 44.5K

$825 ฿27.0K

15.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 MUR 33.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

39.65%

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 %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Bel Air: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Bel Air and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Bel Air vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $243, with Bel Air cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bel Air vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Bel Air. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,534 in Bel Air and $1,278 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Bel Air versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bel Air pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,023 per month in Bel Air versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,023 in Bel Air, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bel Air. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bel Air and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bel Air. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.