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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Brest vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,107 per month in Brest vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Brest vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Brest is about 19% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Brest and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Brest 48% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 BYN 21.35

$1.94 ฿63.5

295.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.62 BYN 79.6

$18.64 ฿609

53.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 BYN 19.30

$7.82 ฿255

-11.25%

Cappuccino

$1.50 BYN 4.18

$1.95 ฿63.8

-23.08%

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

$0.79 BYN 2.19

$0.85 ฿27.77

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 BYN 2.00

$0.35 ฿11.58

105.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 BYN 3.34

$2.13 ฿69.6

-43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 BYN 7.85

$3.73 ฿122

-24.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BYN 2.42

$1.71 ฿56.0

-49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 BYN 1.99

$1.63 ฿53.2

-55.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 BYN 2.23

$1.14 ฿37.15

-29.82%

Eggs

$1.36 BYN 3.79

$1.93 ฿63.1

-29.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 BYN 18.68

$16.21 ฿530

-58.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 BYN 9.86

$3.12 ฿102

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.59 BYN 9.99

$10.90 ฿356

-67.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 BYN 3.62

$2.75 ฿90.0

-52.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 BYN 4.61

$1.21 ฿39.52

37.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 BYN 4.69

$1.62 ฿53.0

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 BYN 4.91

$1.59 ฿51.8

11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 BYN 2.18

$1.40 ฿45.70

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 BYN 2.23

$1.17 ฿38.17

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 BYN 3.73

$0.66 ฿21.60

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BYN 2.93

$0.53 ฿17.22

98.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 BYN 5.20

$4.69 ฿153

-60.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 BYN 22.86

$18.66 ฿609

-55.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BYN 3.04

$1.80 ฿58.8

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BYN 5.01

$3.23 ฿106

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 BYN 0.90

$0.90 ฿29.26

-64.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.89 BYN 41.39

$19.21 ฿628

-22.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 BYN 5.83

$1.41 ฿45.91

48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 BYN 1.75

$1.29 ฿42.12

-51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 BYN 17.25

$7.84 ฿256

-20.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 BYN 2.28

$1.27 ฿41.58

-35.43%

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

$17.9K BYN 49.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-16.02%

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

$25.5K BYN 71.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

14.95%

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

$49.51 BYN 138

$69.1 ฿2,256

-28.32%

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

$8.38 BYN 23.29

$14.08 ฿460

-40.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 BYN 61.7

$18.00 ฿588

23.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.05 BYN 80.8

$41.06 ฿1,341

-29.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 BYN 12.96

$5.92 ฿193

-21.28%

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

$302 BYN 840

$299 ฿9,766

1.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,778 BYN 16.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-61.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.24 BYN 131

$54.7 ฿1,787

-13.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.43 BYN 101

$26.77 ฿874

36.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 BYN 282

$85.0 ฿2,776

19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 BYN 219

$70.6 ฿2,306

11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 BYN 960

$428 ฿14.0K

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 BYN 474

$237 ฿7,752

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 BYN 1,340

$801 ฿26.2K

-39.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 BYN 830

$515 ฿16.8K

-42.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 BYN 7,372

$1,975 ฿64.5K

34.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,002 BYN 8,346

$1,475 ฿48.2K

103.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 BYN 1,604

$617 ฿20.2K

-6.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

120.00%

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

Last update for Brest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Brest versus $428 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 7% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $29.00 in Brest versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Brest vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Brest 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Brest, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,050 per month in Brest and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Chiang Mai, 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 $29.00 in Brest and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $700 in Brest and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $700 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Brest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.