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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,002 in Baie du Tombeau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,658 in Baie du Tombeau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,314 in Baie du Tombeau.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 13% less than in Baie du Tombeau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Baie du Tombeau 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.69 MUR 316

-71.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$43.28 MUR 2,045

-56.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.46 MUR 305

21.05%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.68 MUR 127

-27.24%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.98 MUR 46.27

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.56 MUR 26.66

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.07 MUR 97.9

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.76 MUR 131

35.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.50 MUR 71.0

14.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.69 MUR 32.84

136.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.32 MUR 62.6

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.24 MUR 106

-13.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.81 MUR 463

65.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.01 MUR 284

-48.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.43 MUR 493

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.07 MUR 97.6

32.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.99 MUR 94.2

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.43 MUR 67.6

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.64 MUR 125

-39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.03 MUR 48.53

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.94 MUR 44.53

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.85 MUR 40.10

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.58 MUR 27.20

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.10 MUR 288

-23.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.25 MUR 390

126.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.79 MUR 84.7

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.16 MUR 102

49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.05 MUR 49.51

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$29.22 MUR 1,381

-34.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.38 MUR 207

-67.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.71 MUR 128

-52.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.60 MUR 737

-49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.41 MUR 66.6

-9.93%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.8K MUR 1.7M

-40.57%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

-23.61%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$48.83 MUR 2,307

41.45%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.71 MUR 884

-24.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$32.89 MUR 1,554

-45.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.41 MUR 1,815

6.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.68 MUR 316

4.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.20 MUR 293

-4.52%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$154 MUR 7,256

94.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,987 MUR 188.4K

275.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$51.2 MUR 2,417

6.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$43.13 MUR 2,038

-37.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$82.2 MUR 3,884

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$78.1 MUR 3,689

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$520 MUR 24.6K

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$349 MUR 16.5K

-32.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$967 MUR 45.7K

-17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$730 MUR 34.5K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,310 MUR 250.9K

-62.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,255 MUR 201.1K

-65.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$645 MUR 30.5K

-4.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

-20.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baie du Tombeau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $520 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baie du Tombeau pays 5% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $43.00 in Baie du Tombeau. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $213, 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, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Baie du Tombeau earns 5% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $520 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,002 in Baie du Tombeau – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 52% less than in Baie du Tombeau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,002 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 16% less than in Baie du Tombeau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.