Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bel Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bel Air

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,023 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,709 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,395 in Bel Air.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 17% less than in Bel Air, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bel Air 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.72 MUR 314

-70.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.62 MUR 2,041

-56.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.31 MUR 342

8.34%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.13 MUR 52.8

69.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.04 MUR 48.47

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 MUR 26.35

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.68 MUR 78.4

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.21 MUR 150

18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.64 MUR 76.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.71 MUR 33.33

128.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.27 MUR 59.5

-7.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.31 MUR 108

-12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.68 MUR 546

36.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.12 MUR 286

-50.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.70 MUR 594

-15.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.97 MUR 92.2

32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.96 MUR 91.6

-37.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.50 MUR 70.4

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.62 MUR 123

-39.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 MUR 48.11

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.92 MUR 43.19

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.78 MUR 36.58

-14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.76 MUR 35.72

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.76 MUR 316

-32.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.61 MUR 403

111.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.72 MUR 80.6

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.15 MUR 100

50.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.04 MUR 48.61

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.48 MUR 210

-69.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.64 MUR 123

-48.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.76 MUR 924

-58.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-13.01%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

-40.16%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

-21.25%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$50.4 MUR 2,356

39.32%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.45 MUR 863

-25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.73 MUR 1,578

-47.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.42 MUR 1,798

8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.07 MUR 284

-4.78%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$153 MUR 7,159

100.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,956 MUR 185.1K

274.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$86.4 MUR 4,042

-37.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$80.2 MUR 3,755

-67.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$131 MUR 6,147

-35.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$95.7 MUR 4,477

-27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$512 MUR 24.0K

-17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$355 MUR 16.6K

-32.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$950 MUR 44.5K

-13.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$719 MUR 33.7K

-28.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $512 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Bel Air. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $230, with Bel Air 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 Bel Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Bel Air. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $1,534 in Bel Air 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $512 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bel Air pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,023 in Bel Air – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,023 in Bel Air, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bel Air. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bel Air 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 20% less than in Bel Air. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.