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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $980 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,591 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,202 in Belle Rose, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Belle Rose, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Belle Rose are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Belle Rose 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.6

$6.65 MUR 313

-70.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿615

$44.26 MUR 2,084

-57.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿253

$6.51 MUR 307

19.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.7

$2.68 MUR 126

-28.36%

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

$0.79 ฿25.87

$1.04 MUR 48.77

-24.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.66

$0.55 MUR 25.96

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.13 MUR 100

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.69 MUR 127

36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.0

$1.46 MUR 68.8

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.69 MUR 32.53

136.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.99

$1.27 MUR 59.7

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.3

$2.35 MUR 111

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿522

$10.14 MUR 477

57.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.9

$6.17 MUR 291

-50.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿355

$10.60 MUR 499

2.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.3

$2.06 MUR 97.1

33.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.55

$1.99 MUR 93.7

-40.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.49 MUR 70.0

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.68

$2.69 MUR 127

-43.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.25

$1.01 MUR 47.62

36.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.97

$0.98 MUR 46.33

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.94

$0.81 MUR 38.07

-13.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.19

$0.56 MUR 26.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$6.12 MUR 288

-25.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿541

$9.47 MUR 446

74.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.7

$1.75 MUR 82.2

4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.09 MUR 98.5

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.66

$1.03 MUR 48.63

-14.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.31

$4.50 MUR 212

-69.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.80

$2.72 MUR 128

-50.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.53 MUR 731

-49.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.06

$1.40 MUR 66.0

-12.14%

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

$21.6K ฿706.7K

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

-39.75%

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

$22.5K ฿736.8K

$28.4K MUR 1.3M

-20.57%

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

$70.5 ฿2,305

$49.83 MUR 2,346

41.56%

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

$13.68 ฿447

$18.64 MUR 878

-26.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿570

$32.77 MUR 1,543

-46.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,351

$38.68 MUR 1,821

6.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿189

$6.16 MUR 290

-6.33%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$153 MUR 7,212

100.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿477.5K

$3,991 MUR 187.9K

266.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,823

$50.9 MUR 2,399

9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿856

$44.76 MUR 2,108

-41.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,802

$82.0 MUR 3,863

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,361

$79.2 MUR 3,727

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$511 MUR 24.1K

-15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,800

$347 MUR 16.3K

-31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.7K

$931 MUR 43.9K

-12.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.7K

$732 MUR 34.5K

-30.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

-20.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Belle Rose: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $511 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Belle Rose. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $218 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 13%, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,470 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $44.00 in Belle Rose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $869, than in Belle Rose at $980. 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.