Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Flacq

For one person, living is cheaper in Flacq: $493 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Flacq
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Flacq Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Flacq

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$493

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Flacq actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $493 in Flacq, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Flacq $493

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,112 in Flacq, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Flacq $1,112

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,731 in Flacq, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Flacq $1,731

Chiang Mai costs about 91% more than Flacq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Flacq are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Flacq 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.94 MUR 279

-61.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.95 MUR 280

-6.05%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.65 MUR 77.9

4.24%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.75 MUR 35.36

-14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.60 MUR 28.05

-45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.33 MUR 62.5

77.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.04 MUR 95.9

0.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.66 MUR 125

-15.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$12.26 MUR 577

38.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.02 MUR 94.9

35.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$13.98 MUR 658

-33.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.06 MUR 97.0

16.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$2.05 MUR 96.7

-50.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.13 MUR 100

-24.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$2.48 MUR 117

-38.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.07 MUR 50.3

19.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.08 MUR 50.6

2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.52 MUR 24.29

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.55 MUR 25.86

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.48 MUR 69.8

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.65 MUR 77.9

72.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.83 MUR 39.14

2.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$30.96 MUR 1,458

74.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.06 MUR 50.1

10.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.36 MUR 64.1

6.62%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

$10.40 MUR 490

17.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$19.85 MUR 935

90.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.86 MUR 276

14.51%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$107 MUR 5,028

-50.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$74.9 MUR 3,524

22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$107 MUR 5,040

-31.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$630 MUR 29.6K

-12.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,128 MUR 53.1K

-47.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.65

19.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Flacq: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Flacq

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Flacq

$188 * 38.2% 21% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Flacq

$130 * 26.4% 18.6% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Flacq

$10 * 2.1% 89% $84

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Flacq

$97 * 19.7% 23% $18

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Flacq

$35 * 7.2% 42.3% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Flacq

$32 6.4% 38.5% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 90% higher in Flacq, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇺 Flacq

🕒 Local time

12:43 12:43 PM

09:43 9:43 AM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

16,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 MUR = 2.12 USD

100 MUR = 1.89 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 October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Flacq 6,250 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Flacq

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 Flacq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 91% more than Flacq, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $739 in Flacq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $493 in Flacq. That's a gap of about 91%.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Flacq, where all-in costs run around $493, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Flacq 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. Flacq costs $493 versus $938 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 Flacq. 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.