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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,024 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,704 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $2,384 in Bel Air.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 15% less than in Bel Air, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bel Air 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.77 MUR 319

-70.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$43.15 MUR 2,032

-56.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.04 MUR 331

10.09%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.07 MUR 50.5

79.44%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.02 MUR 48.09

-22.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.57 MUR 26.70

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.62 MUR 76.2

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.29 MUR 155

11.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.68 MUR 79.0

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 MUR 33.40

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.32 MUR 62.2

-9.85%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.27 MUR 107

-11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.09 MUR 569

32.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.16 MUR 290

-50.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.62 MUR 594

-13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.00 MUR 94.4

38.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.95 MUR 91.7

-39.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.44 MUR 67.8

13.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.72 MUR 128

-44.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.98 MUR 46.16

40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.98 MUR 46.15

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.85 MUR 40.16

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.76 MUR 35.80

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.44 MUR 303

-28.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.41 MUR 396

96.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.73 MUR 81.4

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.22 MUR 105

44.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.00 MUR 46.89

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.53 MUR 213

-69.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.71 MUR 128

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.43 MUR 915

-59.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.40 MUR 65.8

-12.14%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-40.01%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-20.78%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.86 MUR 2,348

41.48%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.10 MUR 852

-24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$34.01 MUR 1,602

-48.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$38.76 MUR 1,825

6.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.10 MUR 287

-5.41%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$156 MUR 7,364

96.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,956 MUR 186.3K

269.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$85.9 MUR 4,045

-35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$81.0 MUR 3,815

-67.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$130 MUR 6,105

-33.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$94.0 MUR 4,425

-23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$518 MUR 24.4K

-17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$348 MUR 16.4K

-31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$954 MUR 44.9K

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$724 MUR 34.1K

-29.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $518 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $43.00 in Bel Air. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $232, 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 18% 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 $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $1,536 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: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $518 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bel Air pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,024 in Bel Air – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,024 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 $869 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 18% less than in Bel Air. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.