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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $989 in Baie du Tombeau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,635 in Baie du Tombeau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,281 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 36% lower, Baie du Tombeau 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$6.43 MUR 302

-69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$44.38 MUR 2,085

-58.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.43 MUR 302

16.33%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.55 MUR 120

-20.78%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.97 MUR 45.75

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.60 MUR 28.38

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.16 MUR 101

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.77 MUR 130

29.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.44 MUR 67.5

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.69 MUR 32.50

127.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.27 MUR 59.7

-6.30%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.34 MUR 110

-17.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.67 MUR 454

67.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.36 MUR 299

-52.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.24 MUR 481

6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.05 MUR 96.5

32.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.96 MUR 92.2

-40.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.51 MUR 71.0

11.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.66 MUR 125

-39.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.02 MUR 48.10

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.01 MUR 47.44

18.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.85 MUR 40.05

-21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.53 MUR 24.81

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.09 MUR 286

-23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.23 MUR 387

114.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.73 MUR 81.1

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.17 MUR 102

52.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.99 MUR 46.74

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$29.08 MUR 1,366

-33.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$4.52 MUR 212

-69.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.65 MUR 125

-49.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$15.15 MUR 712

-45.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.46 MUR 68.7

-16.44%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

-40.46%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

-22.69%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$49.99 MUR 2,348

41.37%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$18.55 MUR 872

-24.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$32.05 MUR 1,506

-45.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$37.97 MUR 1,784

11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$6.66 MUR 313

3.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.06 MUR 285

-2.31%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$157 MUR 7,366

96.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,019 MUR 188.8K

270.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$51.2 MUR 2,406

8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$43.15 MUR 2,027

-39.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$81.6 MUR 3,833

1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$77.3 MUR 3,630

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$516 MUR 24.3K

-16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$349 MUR 16.4K

-31.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$932 MUR 43.8K

-11.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$711 MUR 33.4K

-27.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$5,335 MUR 250.6K

-64.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$4,169 MUR 195.9K

-64.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$634 MUR 29.8K

-8.64%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Baie du Tombeau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $516 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baie du Tombeau pays 9% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Baie du Tombeau. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $516 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $989 in Baie du Tombeau – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 50% less than in Baie du Tombeau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $989 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 15% less than in Baie du Tombeau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.