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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $693 in Brest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,111 in Brest, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,529 in Brest, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Brest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Brest are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Brest 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.49 BYN 21.56

-73.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$29.44 BYN 84.8

-37.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.77 BYN 19.50

10.49%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.49 BYN 4.29

35.57%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.77 BYN 2.21

10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.68 BYN 1.96

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.24 BYN 3.57

72.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.80 BYN 8.08

28.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.81 BYN 2.34

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.67 BYN 1.93

134.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.83 BYN 2.38

43.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.37 BYN 3.94

41.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.78 BYN 19.53

138.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.52 BYN 10.13

-15.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$3.62 BYN 10.43

202.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.30 BYN 3.74

108.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.67 BYN 4.81

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.76 BYN 5.06

-3.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.76 BYN 5.06

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.76 BYN 2.19

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.85 BYN 2.45

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.31 BYN 3.77

-48.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.10 BYN 3.17

-49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.80 BYN 5.19

157.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.22 BYN 23.68

114.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.09 BYN 3.15

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.81 BYN 5.21

82.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.30 BYN 0.86

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$14.60 BYN 42.06

32.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.09 BYN 6.01

-34.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.64 BYN 1.83

109.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.01 BYN 17.31

36.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.82 BYN 2.38

48.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$17.5K BYN 50.3K

22.36%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$25.9K BYN 74.5K

-12.85%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$50.8 BYN 146

39.22%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.62 BYN 24.84

62.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$22.44 BYN 64.6

-22.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$29.13 BYN 83.9

44.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.70 BYN 13.54

25.96%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$311 BYN 895

-0.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,642 BYN 16.2K

163.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$47.41 BYN 137

17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$35.98 BYN 104

-27.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$105 BYN 302

-20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$80.1 BYN 231

-12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$338 BYN 973

27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$171 BYN 492

39.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$489 BYN 1,408

68.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$308 BYN 888

66.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,473 BYN 7,123

-22.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,933 BYN 8,448

-49.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$558 BYN 1,608

3.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-54.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $338 in Brest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Brest. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $153 in Brest – so Brest 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 Brest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Brest, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,039 in Brest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 59% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Brest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $693 in Brest, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $693 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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