Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belle Rose Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belle Rose

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,054 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,706 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,359 in Belle Rose, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Belle Rose, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Belle Rose are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Belle Rose 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.90 MUR 276

-64.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$38.30 MUR 1,792

-48.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.37 MUR 345

-21.44%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.66 MUR 125

-31.20%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.14 MUR 53.4

-31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.67 MUR 31.24

-53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.63 MUR 123

-11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.93 MUR 184

-5.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.50 MUR 70.1

35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.79 MUR 36.93

102.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.16 MUR 54.2

22.41%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.33 MUR 109

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$5.15 MUR 241

208.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.36 MUR 297

-51.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$11.38 MUR 532

-13.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.07 MUR 96.7

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.35 MUR 110

-53.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.41 MUR 65.9

15.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.94 MUR 138

-47.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.93 MUR 43.75

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.95 MUR 44.24

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.75 MUR 34.88

-1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.84 MUR 39.13

-40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$6.63 MUR 310

-35.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$8.71 MUR 408

106.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.66 MUR 77.5

2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.27 MUR 106

27.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$4.22 MUR 198

-70.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.14 MUR 147

-83.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$21.62 MUR 1,012

-88.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.38 MUR 64.8

4.35%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$32.8K MUR 1.5M

-35.38%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.2K MUR 1.5M

-12.60%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$45.58 MUR 2,133

42.45%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$10.73 MUR 502

24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$28.73 MUR 1,345

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$34.76 MUR 1,627

16.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$6.55 MUR 306

2.44%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$130 MUR 6,075

506.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,755 MUR 362.9K

95.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$69.4 MUR 3,246

-18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$69.1 MUR 3,233

-63.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$113 MUR 5,290

-17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$77.7 MUR 3,636

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$574 MUR 26.9K

-15.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$392 MUR 18.3K

-26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,125 MUR 52.7K

-19.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$833 MUR 39.0K

-36.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.34

-12.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Belle Rose: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $574 in Belle Rose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Belle Rose. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Belle Rose – so Belle Rose wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Belle Rose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Belle Rose is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,581 in Belle Rose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Belle Rose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Belle Rose – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Belle Rose at $1,054. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belle Rose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belle Rose makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.