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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,806 in Carrefour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $2,698 in Carrefour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $3,589 in Carrefour.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 48% less than in Carrefour, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Carrefour is 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$15.13 HTG 1,973

-86.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$91.3 HTG 11.9K

-78.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.15 HTG 932

-20.98%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.64 HTG 214

10.37%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.56 HTG 204

-54.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.53 HTG 199

-79.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$5.11 HTG 666

-56.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.20 HTG 939

-49.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.49 HTG 194

31.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$2.27 HTG 296

-33.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$2.99 HTG 389

-55.18%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.74 HTG 357

-17.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$7.79 HTG 1,016

108.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.96 HTG 777

-50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$12.00 HTG 1,564

-17.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.90 HTG 247

35.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.48 HTG 323

-57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.89 HTG 116

80.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$2.26 HTG 295

-32.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$6.09 HTG 794

-79.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.02 HTG 133

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.66 HTG 85.9

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.98 HTG 128

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.98 HTG 519

5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$11.59 HTG 1,511

54.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.89 HTG 116

89.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.57 HTG 205

80.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.21 HTG 27.99

342.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$20.19 HTG 2,632

166.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.39 HTG 51.0

215.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.41 HTG 53.8

41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$20.04 HTG 2,613

-87.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.21 HTG 158

16.53%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$40.2K HTG 5.2M

-46.66%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$45.3K HTG 5.9M

-39.72%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$101 HTG 13.2K

-36.87%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$50.6 HTG 6,598

-74.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$164 HTG 21.4K

-87.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$70.2 HTG 9,156

-44.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$20.15 HTG 2,627

-80.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$10.16 HTG 1,325

-33.66%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$101 HTG 13.2K

670.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$6,994 HTG 911.9K

108.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$79.8 HTG 10.4K

-31.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$74.3 HTG 9,686

-65.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$121 HTG 15.8K

-22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$152 HTG 19.8K

-51.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$897 HTG 116.9K

-45.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$732 HTG 95.4K

-60.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,293 HTG 168.6K

-30.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,055 HTG 137.5K

-50.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$759 HTG 98.9K

157.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$611 HTG 79.7K

141.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,400 HTG 182.5K

-56.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-62.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Carrefour: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $897 in Carrefour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carrefour pays 132% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $91.0 in Carrefour for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $254 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Carrefour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Carrefour differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $1,806 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 132% lower in Carrefour. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $897 in Carrefour. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Carrefour. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Carrefour. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,806 in Carrefour, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Carrefour. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Carrefour are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Carrefour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.