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 $854 per month in Brest vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,334 per month in Brest vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Brest vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Brest is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Brest and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Brest 38% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.25 BYN 40.82

$2.08 ฿68.6

537.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 BYN 113

$19.64 ฿646

87.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 BYN 19.53

$5.65 ฿186

12.21%

Cappuccino

$2.03 BYN 6.25

$1.81 ฿59.4

12.15%

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

$1.01 BYN 3.10

$0.71 ฿23.45

42.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 BYN 2.51

$0.32 ฿10.38

153.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 BYN 9.33

$2.24 ฿73.6

35.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 BYN 11.96

$3.63 ฿119

6.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BYN 3.59

$1.96 ฿64.4

-40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BYN 3.10

$1.50 ฿49.39

-32.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 BYN 3.15

$1.34 ฿43.93

-23.88%

Eggs

$1.60 BYN 4.92

$2.26 ฿74.5

-29.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 BYN 20.48

$16.26 ฿535

-59.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 BYN 10.72

$2.95 ฿97.1

17.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.37 BYN 10.38

$9.94 ฿327

-66.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 BYN 6.19

$2.57 ฿84.6

-21.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 BYN 7.57

$1.06 ฿34.73

132.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 BYN 6.56

$1.61 ฿53.0

32.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 BYN 7.46

$1.52 ฿49.97

59.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 BYN 2.49

$1.27 ฿41.77

-36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 BYN 5.12

$1.07 ฿35.06

55.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 BYN 5.98

$0.72 ฿23.68

169.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 BYN 3.92

$0.51 ฿16.72

149.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 BYN 7.81

$4.19 ฿138

-39.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 BYN 23.39

$17.87 ฿587

-57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 BYN 3.61

$1.69 ฿55.7

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BYN 5.92

$2.84 ฿93.3

-32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 BYN 1.06

$0.93 ฿30.43

-63.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.75 BYN 48.51

$53.9 ฿1,771

-70.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 BYN 2.30

$1.23 ฿40.59

-39.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BYN 1.72

$0.58 ฿18.96

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.45 BYN 50.7

$2.42 ฿79.7

579.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 BYN 2.71

$1.41 ฿46.43

-37.59%

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

$18.7K BYN 57.5K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-12.87%

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

$26.6K BYN 81.9K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-2.70%

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

$62.6 BYN 193

$63.7 ฿2,093

-1.68%

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

$11.00 BYN 33.87

$12.85 ฿423

-14.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 BYN 68.9

$20.22 ฿665

10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 BYN 99.1

$38.74 ฿1,274

-16.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.80 BYN 24.03

$3.97 ฿130

96.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 BYN 16.52

$6.74 ฿222

-20.47%

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

$321 BYN 990

$778 ฿25.6K

-58.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,161 BYN 19.0K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 BYN 160

$54.3 ฿1,785

-4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.38 BYN 115

$25.45 ฿837

46.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 BYN 398

$94.3 ฿3,102

36.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 BYN 262

$73.4 ฿2,415

15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 BYN 1,102

$490 ฿16.1K

-26.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 BYN 561

$289 ฿9,512

-37.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 BYN 1,541

$894 ฿29.4K

-44.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 BYN 980

$517 ฿17.0K

-38.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 BYN 7,345

$1,955 ฿64.3K

21.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,708 BYN 8,342

$1,477 ฿48.6K

83.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 BYN 1,582

$602 ฿19.8K

-14.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Brest: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Brest 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 17% 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 $37.00 in Brest versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Brest vs $240 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 11% more than Brest, 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 $1,281 per month in Brest and $1,421 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 35% 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 $37.00 in Brest 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 Brest, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Brest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $854 versus $947 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.