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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,315 in Beau Vallon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $2,079 in Beau Vallon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,844 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 36% lower, Beau Vallon 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$18.56 SCR 266

-89.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$69.5 SCR 996

-73.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.19 SCR 103

4.03%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$5.69 SCR 81.6

-64.50%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.53 SCR 21.96

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.08 SCR 15.47

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$9.53 SCR 137

-77.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.97 SCR 71.2

-27.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.66 SCR 38.07

-37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.51 SCR 21.65

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.08 SCR 87.2

-50.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.03 SCR 86.4

81.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.96 SCR 28.12

38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.98 SCR 28.43

-40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.98 SCR 28.43

-14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$10.12 SCR 145

-84.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.03 SCR 14.71

16.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.98 SCR 28.44

-66.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$29.46 SCR 422

-84.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.32 SCR 162

55.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.88 SCR 12.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

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

$14.04 ฿472

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,226 SCR 17.6K

-64.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$802 SCR 11.5K

-70.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$2,188 SCR 31.4K

-62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,388 SCR 19.9K

-63.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,283 SCR 18.4K

49.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$646 SCR 9,251

127.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Beau Vallon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $1,226 in Beau Vallon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $69.0 in Beau Vallon. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $203, 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 $1,292 in Chiang Mai and $1,972 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,226 in Beau Vallon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Beau Vallon pay roughly 20% 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 $18.00 versus $69.0 in Beau Vallon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,315 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.