Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Flic en Flac Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Flic en Flac

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,174 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,868 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,563 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Flic en Flac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Flic en Flac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Flic en Flac 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$6.01 MUR 285

-65.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$52.8 MUR 2,509

-62.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.48 MUR 355

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.68 MUR 127

-32.46%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.14 MUR 54.0

-32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.63 MUR 29.88

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.64 MUR 125

-16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.14 MUR 197

-8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.42 MUR 67.3

44.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.74 MUR 35.16

104.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.16 MUR 55.0

20.69%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.92 MUR 91.2

17.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.37 MUR 255

201.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.21 MUR 295

-53.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.49 MUR 546

-18.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.88 MUR 89.3

42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.68 MUR 127

-59.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.41 MUR 66.8

14.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.91 MUR 138

-49.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.95 MUR 44.93

34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.03 MUR 48.86

2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.71 MUR 33.52

1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.91 MUR 43.15

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.52 MUR 310

-35.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.64 MUR 410

111.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.70 MUR 80.9

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.28 MUR 108

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.63 MUR 29.73

39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$4.13 MUR 196

-71.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.11 MUR 148

-81.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$21.56 MUR 1,024

-88.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.35 MUR 64.1

7.41%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.5K MUR 1.7M

-42.45%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.4K MUR 1.5M

-15.73%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$44.88 MUR 2,132

41.82%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.74 MUR 510

20.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$29.11 MUR 1,383

-29.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$54.9 MUR 2,607

-28.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.46 MUR 259

20.51%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$126 MUR 5,971

523.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,728 MUR 367.1K

89.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$77.1 MUR 3,661

-28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$75.4 MUR 3,580

-67.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$119 MUR 5,669

-21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$78.4 MUR 3,724

-5.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$569 MUR 27.0K

-13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$502 MUR 23.9K

-42.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$1,024 MUR 48.6K

-12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$958 MUR 45.5K

-45.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$699 MUR 33.2K

-13.94%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Flic en Flac: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $569 in Flic en Flac. 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 16% higher in Flic en Flac, 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 $53.0 in Flic en Flac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Flic en Flac – so Flic en Flac 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 Flic en Flac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Flic en Flac costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,760 in Flic en Flac. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $53.0 in Flic en Flac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Flic en Flac – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Flic en Flac at $1,174. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Flic en Flac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,174 in Flic en Flac. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Flic en Flac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.