Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beau Vallon Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beau Vallon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,266 in Beau Vallon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $3,374 in Beau Vallon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $4,483 in Beau Vallon.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 58% less than in Beau Vallon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Beau Vallon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$13.37 SCR 191

-84.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$54.2 SCR 777

-63.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$6.92 SCR 99.2

-18.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$5.08 SCR 72.7

-64.37%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.55 SCR 22.15

-54.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.09 SCR 15.59

-70.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$10.05 SCR 144

-77.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.87 SCR 84.1

-38.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.39 SCR 34.24

-17.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.86 SCR 26.70

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$2.93 SCR 41.96

-54.27%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$5.20 SCR 74.4

-56.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$15.71 SCR 225

3.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$8.55 SCR 122

-65.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.35 SCR 148

-3.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.83 SCR 40.54

-9.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.88 SCR 41.30

-63.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.04 SCR 29.23

-21.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$13.90 SCR 199

-89.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.20 SCR 17.16

-10.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$2.08 SCR 29.77

-65.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.07 SCR 15.28

-52.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$22.41 SCR 321

-81.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$10.69 SCR 153

67.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$3.55 SCR 50.9

-52.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$4.25 SCR 60.8

-33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.71 SCR 10.13

30.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$14.66 SCR 210

267.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$29.09 SCR 417

-95.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$193 SCR 2,759

-66.96%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$41.89 SCR 600

-69.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$106 SCR 1,522

-80.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$180 SCR 2,571

-78.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$14.36 SCR 206

-53.06%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$1,135 SCR 16.3K

-56.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$1,036 SCR 14.8K

-72.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$2,230 SCR 31.9K

-59.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,901 SCR 27.2K

-72.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,250 SCR 17.9K

56.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$626 SCR 8,963

135.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Beau Vallon: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $1,135 in Beau Vallon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $54.0 in Beau Vallon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $376 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

Chiang Mai vs Beau Vallon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,421 in Chiang Mai and $3,399 in Beau Vallon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,135 in Beau Vallon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Beau Vallon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,266 in Beau Vallon – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,266 in Beau Vallon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Beau Vallon. 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 Beau Vallon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Beau Vallon 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 139% less than in Beau Vallon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.