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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $855 in Brest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,349 in Brest, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,842 in Brest, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Brest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Brest are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Brest 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$13.62 BYN 41.14

-84.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$37.20 BYN 112

-47.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.40 BYN 19.34

-11.41%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.13 BYN 6.43

-15.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.97 BYN 2.94

-20.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.89 BYN 2.70

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$3.03 BYN 9.15

-27.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.98 BYN 12.03

-4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.12 BYN 3.37

83.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.94 BYN 2.84

60.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.01 BYN 3.05

38.61%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.54 BYN 4.65

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.06 BYN 21.31

129.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.55 BYN 10.72

-18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$3.41 BYN 10.29

176.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.94 BYN 5.85

38.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.45 BYN 7.41

-55.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.19 BYN 6.62

-26.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.54 BYN 7.67

-42.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.86 BYN 2.60

48.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.63 BYN 4.91

-34.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.94 BYN 5.86

-62.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.34 BYN 4.05

-60.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.67 BYN 8.06

58.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.60 BYN 22.96

140.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.18 BYN 3.55

38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.99 BYN 6.01

45.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.33 BYN 0.99

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$15.98 BYN 48.25

236.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.81 BYN 2.44

44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.52 BYN 1.58

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$16.29 BYN 49.18

-85.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.86 BYN 2.59

68.60%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$18.6K BYN 56.1K

13.21%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.9K BYN 84.1K

-5.13%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$64.1 BYN 193

-0.66%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$11.36 BYN 34.31

13.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$21.94 BYN 66.3

-6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$33.20 BYN 100

17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.72 BYN 23.30

-49.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.24 BYN 15.82

25.57%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$327 BYN 988

139.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,096 BYN 18.4K

140.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$50.7 BYN 153

8.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$38.82 BYN 117

-36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$134 BYN 404

-29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$85.4 BYN 258

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$358 BYN 1,082

36.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$177 BYN 536

62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$500 BYN 1,510

78.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$320 BYN 967

62.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$2,375 BYN 7,174

-16.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,783 BYN 8,405

-48.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$526 BYN 1,588

14.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Brest: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $358 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 14% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Brest. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $181 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 9% more than Brest, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,283 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 33% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Brest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Brest, where all-in costs run around $855, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Brest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $855 versus $932 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.