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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 in Beau Vallon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,093 in Beau Vallon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,857 in Beau Vallon.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 35% less than in Beau Vallon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Beau Vallon 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$18.80 SCR 272

-89.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$69.4 SCR 1,005

-73.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.79 SCR 98.3

15.17%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.74 SCR 83.1

-66.03%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.57 SCR 22.72

-45.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.08 SCR 15.67

-67.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$9.76 SCR 141

-78.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.20 SCR 75.3

-28.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.58 SCR 37.37

-33.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.46 SCR 21.12

11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.10 SCR 88.3

-48.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.96 SCR 86.2

82.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.96 SCR 28.32

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.06 SCR 29.81

-41.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.98 SCR 28.65

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$9.92 SCR 144

-83.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.03 SCR 14.91

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.06 SCR 29.79

-67.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$30.52 SCR 442

-84.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.91 SCR 13.21

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$14.08 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,233 SCR 17.8K

-65.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$802 SCR 11.6K

-70.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,196 SCR 31.8K

-63.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,404 SCR 20.3K

-63.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,371 SCR 19.8K

44.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$694 SCR 10.0K

112.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Beau Vallon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $1,233 in Beau Vallon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $69.0 in Beau Vallon. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $179, with Beau Vallon 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 Beau Vallon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,994 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,233 in Beau Vallon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Beau Vallon pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $69.0 in Beau Vallon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 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 53% less than in Beau Vallon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.