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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,282 in Cayenne versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,706 in Cayenne versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,131 in Cayenne versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cayenne is roughly 163% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayenne is 70% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 €8.92

$1.94 ฿63.5

434.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 €99.5

$18.64 ฿609

520.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 €8.68

$7.82 ฿255

29.03%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.80

$1.95 ฿63.8

67.18%

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

$3.06 €2.64

$0.85 ฿27.77

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.16

$0.35 ฿11.58

617.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €2.94

$2.13 ฿69.6

60.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.91

$3.73 ฿122

21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.01 €2.59

$1.71 ฿56.0

76.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 €3.48

$1.63 ฿53.2

148.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 €2.59

$1.14 ฿37.15

164.91%

Eggs

$8.83 €7.59

$1.93 ฿63.1

357.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.72 €24.70

$16.21 ฿530

77.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 €14.38

$3.12 ฿102

435.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.03 €25.83

$10.90 ฿356

175.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 €5.11

$2.75 ฿90.0

116.00%

Banana (1kg)

$4.64 €3.99

$1.21 ฿39.52

283.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 €4.56

$1.62 ฿53.0

227.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.14 €8.73

$1.59 ฿51.8

537.74%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 €4.35

$1.40 ฿45.70

260.71%

Onion (1kg)

$5.74 €4.94

$1.17 ฿38.17

390.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.94 €3.39

$0.66 ฿21.60

496.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.53 ฿17.22

220.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.08 €7.81

$4.69 ฿153

93.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.15

$18.66 ฿609

-55.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.80 ฿58.8

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$3.23 ฿106

-27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$0.90 ฿29.26

162.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.16 €29.39

$19.21 ฿628

77.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 €5.03

$1.41 ฿45.91

314.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.75 €3.23

$1.29 ฿42.12

190.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 €6.85

$7.84 ฿256

1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.27 ฿41.58

68.50%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

60.32%

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

$45.7K €39.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

105.57%

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

$197 €170

$69.1 ฿2,256

185.35%

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

$45.87 €39.45

$14.08 ฿460

225.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 €59.6

$18.00 ฿588

285.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.35 €34.71

$41.06 ฿1,341

-1.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.81 €24.78

$6.96 ฿227

313.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 €10.37

$5.92 ฿193

103.55%

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

$692 €595

$299 ฿9,766

131.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$343 €295

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 €68.4

$54.7 ฿1,787

45.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.16 €40.57

$26.77 ฿874

76.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.1

$85.0 ฿2,776

30.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €91.2

$70.6 ฿2,306

50.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 €819

$428 ฿14.0K

122.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 €699

$237 ฿7,752

242.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 €1,404

$801 ฿26.2K

103.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 €1,408

$515 ฿16.8K

217.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,205 €2,757

$1,975 ฿64.5K

62.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,593 €3,091

$1,475 ฿48.2K

143.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,291 €1,971

$617 ฿20.2K

271.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

-29.40%

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

Last update for Cayenne: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Cayenne and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayenne pays 271% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $116 in Cayenne vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $606 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cayenne pays 271% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Cayenne versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $116 in Cayenne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,282 per month in Cayenne versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,282 in Cayenne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cayenne. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cayenne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cayenne and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Cayenne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.