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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $626 in Bel Ombre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,044 in Bel Ombre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,462 in Bel Ombre.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 49% more expensive than in Bel Ombre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bel Ombre 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.77 MUR 274

-63.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$37.89 MUR 1,800

-48.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.31 MUR 347

-22.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.60 MUR 123

-30.38%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.14 MUR 54.2

-32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.62 MUR 29.61

-43.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.68 MUR 127

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.84 MUR 230

-21.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.56 MUR 74.3

31.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.74 MUR 35.23

104.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.11 MUR 52.9

26.13%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.61 MUR 124

-13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.20 MUR 247

211.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.55 MUR 311

-55.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.35 MUR 539

-17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.77 MUR 132

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.72 MUR 129

-59.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.44 MUR 68.2

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.94 MUR 140

-50.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.95 MUR 44.94

34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.94 MUR 44.71

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.69 MUR 32.72

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.92 MUR 43.84

-42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.53 MUR 310

-35.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.31 MUR 395

120.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.72 MUR 81.7

-5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.34 MUR 111

23.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$4.26 MUR 202

-72.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.25 MUR 155

-82.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$21.33 MUR 1,013

-88.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.38 MUR 65.6

5.07%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.4K MUR 1.7M

-42.24%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$30.6K MUR 1.5M

-13.70%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$44.32 MUR 2,105

43.61%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.40 MUR 494

23.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$28.97 MUR 1,376

-29.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.30 MUR 299

4.44%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$126 MUR 5,992

521.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,766 MUR 368.9K

88.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$77.4 MUR 3,675

-28.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$75.4 MUR 3,581

-67.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$121 MUR 5,757

-22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$76.6 MUR 3,639

-3.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bel Ombre: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $38.00 in Bel Ombre. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $219, with Bel Ombre 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 Ombre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bel Ombre wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bel Ombre the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $938 in Bel Ombre 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.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $126 in Bel Ombre. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bel Ombre – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $626 in Bel Ombre versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bel Ombre but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bel Ombre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bel Ombre delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bel Ombre hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bel Ombre 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 Bel Ombre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.