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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Benares vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,582 per month in Benares vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,177 per month in Benares vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Benares costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Benares and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Benares 27% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.41 MUR 302

$1.98 ฿64.3

223.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 MUR 2,075

$18.80 ฿612

134.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 MUR 307

$7.75 ฿252

-16.00%

Cappuccino

$2.65 MUR 125

$1.92 ฿62.5

38.02%

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

$1.01 MUR 47.71

$0.79 ฿25.79

27.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.17

$0.36 ฿11.62

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 MUR 101

$2.21 ฿72.1

-2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MUR 130

$3.66 ฿119

-24.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MUR 70.3

$1.65 ฿53.8

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.30

$1.63 ฿53.2

-59.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.7

$1.19 ฿38.86

11.76%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 110

$2.00 ฿65.1

17.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MUR 457

$15.98 ฿520

-39.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 MUR 287

$3.03 ฿98.5

100.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 MUR 501

$10.86 ฿354

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 93.1

$2.76 ฿90.0

-28.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 93.1

$1.18 ฿38.42

67.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.3

$1.64 ฿53.5

-11.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MUR 123

$1.52 ฿49.51

71.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.74

$1.38 ฿45.10

-26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.92

$1.19 ฿38.84

-20.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MUR 40.43

$0.70 ฿22.86

22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MUR 24.69

$0.56 ฿18.13

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 MUR 279

$4.58 ฿149

29.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 MUR 453

$16.56 ฿539

-41.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 82.2

$1.83 ฿59.5

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MUR 99.1

$3.20 ฿104

-34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.46

$0.88 ฿28.56

14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 MUR 209

$1.36 ฿44.16

225.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 MUR 125

$1.34 ฿43.65

97.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 MUR 734

$7.84 ฿256

98.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 68.3

$1.23 ฿39.92

17.89%

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

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

66.77%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

27.96%

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

$48.72 MUR 2,294

$70.5 ฿2,298

-30.93%

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

$18.00 MUR 848

$13.68 ฿445

31.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.52 MUR 1,532

$17.45 ฿568

86.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.81 MUR 1,781

$41.33 ฿1,346

-8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 MUR 281

$5.77 ฿188

3.29%

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

$154 MUR 7,261

$307 ฿10.0K

-49.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,916 MUR 184.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-73.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 MUR 2,338

$55.8 ฿1,817

-11.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 MUR 2,089

$26.21 ฿854

69.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 MUR 3,934

$85.8 ฿2,793

-2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 MUR 3,688

$72.2 ฿2,353

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MUR 24.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 MUR 16.7K

$239 ฿7,774

48.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 MUR 44.0K

$817 ฿26.6K

14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 MUR 34.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

41.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

25.00%

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

Last update for Benares: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Benares versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Benares versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Benares vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Benares wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $988 in Benares, $869 in Chiang Mai – roughly 14% apart. Benares costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,481 per month in Benares and $1,303 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Benares and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Benares – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Benares at $988. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benares it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $869 in Chiang Mai to $988 in Benares. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Benares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.