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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,096 per month in Bordeaux vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,169 per month in Bordeaux vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,242 per month in Bordeaux vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bordeaux costs about 143% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bordeaux sits 57% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.78 €18.15

$1.96 ฿65.7

960.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.6

$18.35 ฿616

252.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.92

$7.48 ฿251

51.74%

Cappuccino

$3.82 €3.33

$2.02 ฿67.7

89.11%

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

$2.91 €2.55

$0.85 ฿28.45

242.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.36 ฿11.94

383.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 €7.01

$2.14 ฿71.7

274.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 €6.23

$3.59 ฿121

98.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.65 ฿55.4

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 €1.88

$1.57 ฿52.6

36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$1.19 ฿39.95

152.10%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.52

$1.94 ฿65.0

166.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 €13.23

$16.19 ฿544

-6.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.35 €14.28

$2.99 ฿100

446.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.63 €19.77

$10.94 ฿367

106.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 €3.04

$2.71 ฿91.0

28.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.17 ฿39.18

102.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 €3.45

$1.69 ฿56.6

133.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 €4.04

$1.60 ฿53.9

188.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.38 ฿46.45

72.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$1.20 ฿40.38

144.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.67 ฿22.46

171.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.56 ฿18.70

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.35 €11.66

$4.64 ฿156

187.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 €8.79

$17.62 ฿591

-42.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.27 €3.73

$1.86 ฿62.4

129.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 €3.88

$3.30 ฿111

34.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.88 ฿29.63

142.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.73 €39.96

$19.34 ฿649

136.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €4.04

$1.36 ฿45.82

239.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.34 ฿44.90

24.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.78 €41.75

$8.21 ฿276

481.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.22 ฿41.11

69.67%

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

$37.5K €32.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

75.55%

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

$35.9K €31.3K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

59.24%

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

$255 €223

$70.7 ฿2,372

261.33%

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

$24.67 €21.55

$14.04 ฿471

75.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.61 €28.49

$17.49 ฿587

86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 €33.01

$42.15 ฿1,415

-10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.49 €24.89

$6.88 ฿231

314.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 €12.23

$5.92 ฿199

136.49%

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

$852 €745

$309 ฿10.4K

176.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,305 €8,130

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-37.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €94.7

$55.8 ฿1,872

94.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 €39.13

$26.11 ฿877

71.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 €83.3

$83.0 ฿2,787

14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €128

$70.5 ฿2,365

108.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 €770

$432 ฿14.5K

104.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €623

$239 ฿8,020

198.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 €1,385

$822 ฿27.6K

92.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 €1,045

$512 ฿17.2K

133.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,026 €6,139

$1,915 ฿64.3K

266.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,719 €4,123

$1,467 ฿49.3K

221.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,017 €2,636

$579 ฿19.4K

420.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-24.20%

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

Last update for Bordeaux: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $882 in Bordeaux versus $432 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 421% higher in Bordeaux, 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 $65.0 in Bordeaux versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 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

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

Bordeaux costs about 143% 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 $3,144 per month in Bordeaux and $1,292 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.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $852 per month in Bordeaux and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Bordeaux at $2,096. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bordeaux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,096 in Bordeaux. 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, Bordeaux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.