Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Curepipe

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $998 in Curepipe, rent and utilities included – about $740 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Curepipe outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Curepipe
Learn more

Curepipe Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Curepipe

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$998

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Curepipe

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Curepipe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $998 in Curepipe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Curepipe $998

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,564 in Curepipe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Curepipe $1,564

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,129 in Curepipe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Curepipe $2,129

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Curepipe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chiang Mai and Curepipe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Curepipe 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.15 MUR 147

-28.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$38.01 MUR 1,771

-50.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.21 MUR 243

6.53%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.68 MUR 125

-37.69%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$1.06 MUR 49.29

-39.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.67 MUR 31.40

-53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.72 MUR 80.0

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.72 MUR 127

34.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.60 MUR 74.5

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$0.74 MUR 34.51

94.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$1.10 MUR 51.2

20.91%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.35 MUR 109

-2.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.33 MUR 249

208.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$5.39 MUR 251

-48.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.36 MUR 436

-0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.03 MUR 94.5

15.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$2.01 MUR 93.6

-51.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.45 MUR 67.7

10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.88 MUR 134

-47.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$1.02 MUR 47.50

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$0.99 MUR 46.28

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$0.70 MUR 32.54

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.65 MUR 30.43

-24.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$6.35 MUR 296

-34.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$3.83 MUR 179

357.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.70 MUR 79.4

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.38 MUR 111

16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.71 MUR 33.07

22.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$42.16 MUR 1,964

28.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$4.37 MUR 204

-73.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$3.26 MUR 152

-83.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$4.16 MUR 194

-41.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.37 MUR 63.8

5.84%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$29.8K MUR 1.4M

-29.34%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$31.2K MUR 1.5M

-13.71%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$41.93 MUR 1,953

48.27%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$21.49 MUR 1,001

-43.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$29.40 MUR 1,369

-31.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$14.95 MUR 696

149.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.21 MUR 243

24.57%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$127 MUR 5,912

480.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$7,551 MUR 351.8K

95.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$43.78 MUR 2,039

21.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$32.14 MUR 1,497

-23.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$93.6 MUR 4,361

-2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$53.6 MUR 2,497

34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$593 MUR 27.6K

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$433 MUR 20.2K

-28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,202 MUR 56.0K

-16.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$795 MUR 37.0K

-20.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$743 MUR 34.6K

218.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$646 MUR 30.1K

146.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$894 MUR 41.6K

-34.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Curepipe: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Curepipe

$433 43.4% 40.1% $124

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Curepipe

$187 18.8% 20.1% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Curepipe

$100 10.1% 7.6% $8.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Curepipe

$93 9.3% 1.7% $1.6

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Curepipe

$94 9.4% 21.1% $16

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Curepipe

$66 6.6% 7.1% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Curepipe

$25 2.5% 49.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $593 in Curepipe. 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 52% higher in Curepipe. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $38 in Curepipe. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $187 in Curepipe – so Curepipe wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇺 Curepipe

🕒 Local time

04:16 4:16 AM

01:16 1:16 AM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

81,600

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 MUR = 2.15 USD

100 MUR = 1.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 46.58 MUR (100 MUR = 2.15 USD). 1 EUR = 52.21 MUR (100 MUR = 1.92 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Curepipe 6,270 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Curepipe

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Curepipe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curepipe costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,497 in Curepipe. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $593 in Curepipe.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $127 in Curepipe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Curepipe – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $998 in Curepipe. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $998 in Curepipe. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Curepipe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.