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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $988 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,582 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,177 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 35% lower, Benares 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.41 MUR 302

-69.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$44.06 MUR 2,075

-57.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.51 MUR 307

19.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.65 MUR 125

-27.55%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.01 MUR 47.71

-21.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.56 MUR 26.17

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.15 MUR 101

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.76 MUR 130

32.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.49 MUR 70.3

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.66 MUR 31.30

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.33 MUR 62.7

-10.53%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.34 MUR 110

-14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.70 MUR 457

64.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.09 MUR 287

-50.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.65 MUR 501

1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.98 MUR 93.1

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.98 MUR 93.1

-40.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.45 MUR 68.3

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.61 MUR 123

-41.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.01 MUR 47.74

36.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.95 MUR 44.92

25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.86 MUR 40.43

-18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.52 MUR 24.69

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.92 MUR 279

-22.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.62 MUR 453

72.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.74 MUR 82.2

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.10 MUR 99.1

52.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.01 MUR 47.46

-12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.43 MUR 209

-69.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.65 MUR 125

-49.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.59 MUR 734

-49.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 MUR 68.3

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

-40.04%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-21.85%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$48.72 MUR 2,294

44.79%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.00 MUR 848

-24.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$32.52 MUR 1,532

-46.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.81 MUR 1,781

9.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.96 MUR 281

-3.19%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$154 MUR 7,261

99.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,916 MUR 184.4K

273.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$49.65 MUR 2,338

12.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.37 MUR 2,089

-40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$83.5 MUR 3,934

2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.3 MUR 3,688

-7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$511 MUR 24.1K

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$355 MUR 16.7K

-32.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$935 MUR 44.0K

-12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$724 MUR 34.1K

-29.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

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 Benares: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $511 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $215 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: $869 in Chiang Mai, $988 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,481 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 12% 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 $869, than in Benares at $988. 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 $869 in Chiang Mai to $988 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.