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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,179 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,755 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,332 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 26% 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 35% lower, Flic en Flac 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.58 MUR 310

-69.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$49.52 MUR 2,332

-62.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.35 MUR 346

5.44%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.66 MUR 125

-27.82%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.03 MUR 48.39

-23.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.56 MUR 26.23

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.33 MUR 204

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.21 MUR 151

14.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.44 MUR 67.9

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.65 MUR 30.43

150.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.28 MUR 60.4

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.10 MUR 99.1

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.07 MUR 521

44.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.15 MUR 290

-50.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.75 MUR 601

-14.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.99 MUR 93.9

38.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.95 MUR 91.7

-39.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.46 MUR 68.6

12.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.65 MUR 125

-42.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.99 MUR 46.52

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.00 MUR 47.08

19.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.81 MUR 38.02

-13.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.51 MUR 24.21

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.70 MUR 268

-19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.59 MUR 405

92.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.78 MUR 83.9

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.39 MUR 65.5

130.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.91 MUR 42.80

-3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.39 MUR 207

-69.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.62 MUR 124

-48.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$11.21 MUR 528

-30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.46 MUR 68.6

-15.75%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-39.15%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.4K MUR 1.3M

-20.53%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$50.4 MUR 2,372

40.02%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.08 MUR 851

-24.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.40 MUR 1,573

-47.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$46.25 MUR 2,178

-10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.07 MUR 286

-4.94%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$109 MUR 5,120

182.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,666 MUR 125.5K

448.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$33.36 MUR 1,571

67.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$32.37 MUR 1,524

-19.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$109 MUR 5,139

-21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$94.0 MUR 4,428

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$575 MUR 27.1K

-25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$506 MUR 23.8K

-52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$944 MUR 44.5K

-13.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$757 MUR 35.7K

-32.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$697 MUR 32.8K

-11.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Flic en Flac: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $575 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 13% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Flic en Flac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $221 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 36% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,769 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $50.0 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 9% 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 $869, than in Flic en Flac at $1,179. 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 $869 versus $1,179 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.