Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beira

For one person, living is cheaper in Beira: $387 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Beira

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$387

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Beira

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 Beira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $387 in Beira.

Chiang Mai $936
Beira $387

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $736 in Beira.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Beira $736

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $1,086 in Beira.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Beira $1,086

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 142% more expensive than in Beira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Beira 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$12.63 MZN 799

-82.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$47.40 MZN 2,998

-59.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.21 MZN 203

-47.98%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.20 MZN 76.2

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.16 MZN 73.4

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.32 MZN 83.4

78.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.01 MZN 127

82.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.66 MZN 105

17.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$0.29 MZN 18.66

396.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$1.57 MZN 99.4

-15.29%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.93 MZN 122

18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.87 MZN 245

-28.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$4.73 MZN 299

96.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.37 MZN 150

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$2.38 MZN 150

-59.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.31 MZN 146

-30.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.24 MZN 78.2

20.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$1.27 MZN 80.1

0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$0.91 MZN 57.7

20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.37 MZN 150

-70.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.73 MZN 46.21

-32.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$0.96 MZN 60.6

331.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$8.25 MZN 522

112.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.00 MZN 63.1

61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.01 MZN 253

-30.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$0.74 MZN 46.99

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.43 MZN 90.3

1.40%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$90.9 MZN 5,749

709.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$18.72 MZN 1,184

185.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$38.44 MZN 2,432

-35.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$38.53 MZN 2,437

137.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$47.05 MZN 2,976

52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Beira: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Beira

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Beira

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Beira

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Beira

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Beira

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Beira

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Beira

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $47 in Beira. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $162, with Beira cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇿 Beira

🕒 Local time

08:54 8:54 AM

03:54 3:54 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

436,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Mozambican Metical MZN MT

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MZN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Mozambican Metical exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.25 MZN (100 MZN = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.62 MZN (100 MZN = 1.42 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Beira 8,210 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Beira

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 Beira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $387 in Beira, so Beira is about 59% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $580 in Beira 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $387 in Beira – Beira is about 59% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Beira gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.