Cost of Living Comparison Between Belfort and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Belfort and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,792 per month in Belfort vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,711 per month in Belfort vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,629 per month in Belfort vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Belfort costs about 92% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Belfort sits 31% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.47 €15.23

$2.08 ฿69.5

739.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €61.4

$19.61 ฿655

259.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.20

$5.67 ฿189

146.74%

Cappuccino

$4.21 €3.67

$1.81 ฿60.3

132.60%

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

$2.99 €2.61

$0.77 ฿25.65

288.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$0.35 ฿11.53

414.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 €6.91

$2.21 ฿73.9

258.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.14

$3.79 ฿127

55.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 €0.68

$2.05 ฿68.4

-61.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.51 ฿50.6

-25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.40 ฿46.69

22.86%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.19

$2.26 ฿75.4

112.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.21 €20.23

$16.19 ฿540

43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

$2.90 ฿96.7

385.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.51 €23.98

$9.42 ฿314

192.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.68 ฿89.4

-11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.18

$1.09 ฿36.37

129.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 €2.90

$1.62 ฿54.0

104.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 €2.96

$1.46 ฿48.74

132.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 €2.50

$1.28 ฿42.65

124.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.95

$1.06 ฿35.31

111.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.72 ฿23.94

108.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.53 ฿17.56

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 €12.04

$4.23 ฿141

226.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 €7.80

$18.29 ฿611

-51.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.63 ฿54.4

-12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$2.90 ฿96.8

-61.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 €1.96

$0.88 ฿29.32

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 €25.08

$53.8 ฿1,795

-46.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.21

$1.17 ฿39.14

606.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.58 ฿19.30

298.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.67 €38.07

$2.39 ฿79.6

1727.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.95

$1.45 ฿48.41

54.48%

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

$35.5K €30.9K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

68.72%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

36.17%

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

$271 €236

$63.7 ฿2,125

325.17%

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

$15.34 €13.37

$12.89 ฿430

19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.04 €28.80

$20.52 ฿685

61.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 €20.25

$39.02 ฿1,302

-40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 €13.22

$6.58 ฿220

130.40%

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

$648 €565

$784 ฿26.2K

-17.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €10.1K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-21.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 €106

$55.1 ฿1,840

120.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.20 €42.89

$24.74 ฿826

98.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €111

$94.1 ฿3,142

35.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$74.0 ฿2,469

74.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 €506

$490 ฿16.4K

18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 €398

$288 ฿9,620

58.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 €806

$891 ฿29.8K

3.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 €659

$521 ฿17.4K

45.04%

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)

$2,185 €1,905

$602 ฿20.1K

263.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

5.57

-33.93%

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

Last update for Belfort: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $580 in Belfort versus $490 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 263% higher in Belfort, 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 $70.0 in Belfort versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 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

Belfort vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belfort costs about 92% 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 $2,689 per month in Belfort and $1,398 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.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Belfort, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Belfort and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Belfort at $1,792. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belfort it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,792 in Belfort. 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, Belfort makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.