Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Baie du Tombeau Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Baie du Tombeau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,077 in Baie du Tombeau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,744 in Baie du Tombeau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $2,411 in Baie du Tombeau.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 12% less than in Baie du Tombeau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Baie du Tombeau 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.88 MUR 275

-64.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$37.83 MUR 1,770

-47.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.02 MUR 329

-17.52%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.58 MUR 121

-29.07%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.15 MUR 53.8

-32.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.63 MUR 29.33

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.58 MUR 121

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.80 MUR 178

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.48 MUR 69.1

37.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.74 MUR 34.60

116.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.16 MUR 54.2

22.41%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.39 MUR 112

-8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$5.20 MUR 243

205.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.18 MUR 289

-50.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$11.29 MUR 528

-12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.09 MUR 97.8

25.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.34 MUR 110

-52.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.46 MUR 68.4

11.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.95 MUR 138

-48.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.00 MUR 46.70

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.97 MUR 45.31

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.74 MUR 34.75

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.88 MUR 41.27

-43.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$6.37 MUR 298

-32.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$8.34 MUR 390

115.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.70 MUR 79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.28 MUR 107

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.65 MUR 30.43

44.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$27.88 MUR 1,305

98.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$4.20 MUR 197

-70.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.12 MUR 146

-83.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$21.61 MUR 1,011

-88.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.38 MUR 64.7

4.35%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$32.8K MUR 1.5M

-35.31%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

-13.42%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$45.77 MUR 2,142

41.86%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$10.52 MUR 492

26.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$29.27 MUR 1,370

-28.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$35.57 MUR 1,665

13.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$6.46 MUR 302

-38.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$6.26 MUR 293

7.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$125 MUR 5,850

529.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,760 MUR 363.2K

94.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$67.7 MUR 3,167

-16.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$68.0 MUR 3,182

-63.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$115 MUR 5,392

-19.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$78.7 MUR 3,683

-4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$573 MUR 26.8K

-15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$394 MUR 18.4K

-27.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,100 MUR 51.5K

-17.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$848 MUR 39.7K

-37.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$5,238 MUR 245.1K

-62.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$4,206 MUR 196.8K

-65.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$626 MUR 29.3K

-3.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.34

-12.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Baie du Tombeau: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $573 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baie du Tombeau pays 4% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $38.00 in Baie du Tombeau. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $210, with Baie du Tombeau cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chiang Mai vs Baie du Tombeau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Baie du Tombeau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $573 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,077 in Baie du Tombeau – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 98% less than in Baie du Tombeau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,077 in Baie du Tombeau, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Baie du Tombeau. 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 Baie du Tombeau, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Baie du Tombeau 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 13% less than in Baie du Tombeau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.