Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beau Vallon

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,235 in Beau Vallon, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Beau Vallon
🇸🇨 Seychelles
$2,235
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Beau Vallon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Beau Vallon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $2,235 in Beau Vallon.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Beau Vallon $2,235

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $3,310 in Beau Vallon.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Beau Vallon $3,310

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $4,386 in Beau Vallon.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Beau Vallon $4,386

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 59% less than in Beau Vallon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Beau Vallon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$12.91 SCR 188
-82.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$54.2 SCR 787
-63.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$7.03 SCR 102
-20.20%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$4.94 SCR 71.8
-66.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$1.52 SCR 22.11
-53.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$1.08 SCR 15.66
-71.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$10.13 SCR 147
-76.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$5.94 SCR 86.3
-37.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$2.37 SCR 34.45
-17.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$1.77 SCR 25.75
-20.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$2.80 SCR 40.72
-53.21%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$5.25 SCR 76.3
-58.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$15.74 SCR 229
5.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$8.47 SCR 123
-67.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$9.98 SCR 145
-8.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$2.81 SCR 40.76
-14.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$2.74 SCR 39.78
-62.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.97 SCR 28.56
-17.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$13.99 SCR 203
-89.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$1.20 SCR 17.43
-7.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$2.05 SCR 29.75
-64.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$1.04 SCR 15.17
-49.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$21.72 SCR 316
-80.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$10.60 SCR 154
69.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$3.65 SCR 53.0
-56.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$4.25 SCR 61.8
-33.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.71 SCR 10.31
21.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$14.39 SCR 209
270.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$28.62 SCR 416
-95.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$1.79 SCR 25.96
-19.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$185 SCR 2,694
-66.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$42.54 SCR 618
-71.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$106 SCR 1,538
-81.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$177 SCR 2,577
-79.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$14.03 SCR 204
-53.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$1,096 SCR 15.9K
-58.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$1,020 SCR 14.8K
-70.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$2,136 SCR 31.0K
-57.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$1,871 SCR 27.2K
-70.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$1,223 SCR 17.8K
57.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$615 SCR 8,934
134.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Beau Vallon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Beau Vallon: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Beau Vallon
$1K 243% $722
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Beau Vallon
$373 * 58.2% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Beau Vallon
- * 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Beau Vallon
$334 254% $240
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Beau Vallon
$257 227% $178
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Beau Vallon
$46 * 24.6% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Beau Vallon
$205 310% $155

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Chiang Mai and $1,096 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 $235 vs $373 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇸🇨 Beau Vallon
🕒 Local time
09:31 9:31 AM
06:31 6:31 AM
3 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
4,142
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

SCR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Seychellois Rupee exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 14.52 SCR (100 SCR = 6.88 USD). 1 EUR = 16.33 SCR (100 SCR = 6.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Beau Vallon 5,430 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Beau Vallon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Beau Vallon cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,388 in Chiang Mai and $3,352 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.
What is the rent difference between Chiang Mai and Beau Vallon?
Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,096 in Beau Vallon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Chiang Mai and in Beau Vallon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Beau Vallon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai and in Beau Vallon?
All in, you'll spend $925 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,235 in Beau Vallon – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Chiang Mai or in Beau Vallon?
At $925 in Chiang Mai versus $2,235 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.
Is Chiang Mai or Beau Vallon more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Beau Vallon?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Beau Vallon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?