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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $700 in Brest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,107 in Brest, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,514 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 35% lower, Brest 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$7.68 BYN 21.58

-74.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$28.62 BYN 80.4

-34.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.94 BYN 19.50

12.68%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.50 BYN 4.22

30.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.79 BYN 2.21

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.72 BYN 2.02

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.20 BYN 3.37

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.82 BYN 7.93

32.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.87 BYN 2.45

96.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.72 BYN 2.01

126.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.80 BYN 2.25

42.50%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.36 BYN 3.83

41.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.72 BYN 18.88

141.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.55 BYN 9.97

-12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$3.59 BYN 10.10

203.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.30 BYN 3.66

111.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.66 BYN 4.66

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.69 BYN 4.74

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.77 BYN 4.97

-10.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.78 BYN 2.20

79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.80 BYN 2.25

46.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.34 BYN 3.77

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.05 BYN 2.96

-49.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.87 BYN 5.25

150.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$8.22 BYN 23.10

127.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.09 BYN 3.07

65.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.80 BYN 5.06

79.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.32 BYN 0.91

181.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$14.89 BYN 41.83

29.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.10 BYN 5.89

-32.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.63 BYN 1.77

104.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.20 BYN 17.43

26.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.82 BYN 2.31

54.88%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$17.9K BYN 50.2K

19.08%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$25.5K BYN 71.7K

-13.01%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$49.51 BYN 139

39.51%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.38 BYN 23.54

68.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.21 BYN 62.4

-18.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$29.05 BYN 81.6

41.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.66 BYN 13.10

27.04%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$302 BYN 849

-1.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$5,778 BYN 16.2K

158.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$47.24 BYN 133

15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$36.43 BYN 102

-26.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$101 BYN 285

-16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$78.7 BYN 221

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$345 BYN 970

24.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$171 BYN 480

39.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$482 BYN 1,354

66.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$299 BYN 839

72.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,652 BYN 7,452

-25.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,002 BYN 8,436

-50.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$577 BYN 1,621

7.04%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $345 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 7% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Brest. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,050 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 61% 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 $19.00 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $700 in Brest, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $700 versus $866 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.