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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,617 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,240 in Belle Rose, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Belle Rose, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Belle Rose are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Belle Rose 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$6.51 MUR 307

-68.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$44.41 MUR 2,097

-57.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.44 MUR 304

22.05%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.63 MUR 124

-22.81%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.96 MUR 45.36

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.55 MUR 26.12

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.06 MUR 97.1

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.65 MUR 125

38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.44 MUR 68.0

20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.70 MUR 32.86

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.33 MUR 63.0

-9.77%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.33 MUR 110

-15.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$10.07 MUR 475

61.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.21 MUR 293

-50.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$10.24 MUR 484

5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.08 MUR 98.2

33.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.90 MUR 89.8

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.51 MUR 71.3

13.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.63 MUR 124

-39.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.02 MUR 48.06

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.92 MUR 43.58

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.86 MUR 40.45

-23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.54 MUR 25.35

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.94 MUR 280

-21.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$7.36 MUR 348

141.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.72 MUR 81.4

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.16 MUR 102

54.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$1.01 MUR 47.50

-9.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$4.45 MUR 210

-68.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$2.64 MUR 125

-49.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$15.38 MUR 726

-47.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.39 MUR 65.8

-11.51%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$35.1K MUR 1.7M

-38.91%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-24.72%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$48.55 MUR 2,293

46.92%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$18.68 MUR 882

-25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$32.63 MUR 1,541

-45.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$38.82 MUR 1,833

5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.12 MUR 289

-6.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$154 MUR 7,260

100.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$4,019 MUR 189.8K

265.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$50.7 MUR 2,394

9.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$43.78 MUR 2,067

-40.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$83.8 MUR 3,959

1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$77.6 MUR 3,666

-8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$521 MUR 24.6K

-18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$354 MUR 16.7K

-31.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$941 MUR 44.5K

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$731 MUR 34.5K

-30.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Belle Rose: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $521 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 – $244 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 17%, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,493 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 16% 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 $852, than in Belle Rose at $995. 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.