Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Benares Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Benares

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $971 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,588 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,206 in Benares, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Benares, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Benares are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Benares 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.66 MUR 312

-70.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.77 MUR 2,048

-57.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.43 MUR 301

23.17%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.53 MUR 119

-24.51%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.95 MUR 44.26

-11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.59 MUR 27.77

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.08 MUR 97.3

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.77 MUR 130

37.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.45 MUR 67.8

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.69 MUR 32.34

134.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.32 MUR 61.5

-10.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.25 MUR 105

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.05 MUR 470

58.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.08 MUR 284

-50.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.29 MUR 481

4.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.99 MUR 93.2

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.91 MUR 89.3

-36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.50 MUR 70.1

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.65 MUR 124

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.98 MUR 45.75

34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.93 MUR 43.67

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.80 MUR 37.48

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.57 MUR 26.81

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.12 MUR 286

-25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.43 MUR 394

115.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.74 MUR 81.3

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.12 MUR 99.4

52.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.05 MUR 49.12

-15.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.42 MUR 207

-69.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.66 MUR 124

-49.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$15.14 MUR 709

-45.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.39 MUR 65.2

-8.63%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-40.76%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

-23.14%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$49.48 MUR 2,315

41.77%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.40 MUR 861

-25.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$32.71 MUR 1,531

-46.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.61 MUR 1,807

7.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.98 MUR 280

-3.34%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$154 MUR 7,220

98.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,949 MUR 184.8K

275.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$49.70 MUR 2,325

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$43.89 MUR 2,053

-40.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$82.2 MUR 3,846

2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$78.0 MUR 3,647

-10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$521 MUR 24.4K

-18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$357 MUR 16.7K

-33.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$936 MUR 43.8K

-11.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$711 MUR 33.3K

-27.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Benares: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $521 in Benares. 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 Benares. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Benares – so Benares 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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $971 in Benares – roughly 14% apart. Benares costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,456 in Benares. 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 Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Benares – 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 Benares at $971. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benares it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Chiang Mai to $971 in Benares. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Benares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.