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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,157 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,774 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,391 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 36% lower, Flic en Flac 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.63 MUR 311

-69.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$50.3 MUR 2,356

-62.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.31 MUR 342

7.52%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.55 MUR 120

-20.39%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.94 MUR 44.21

-14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.59 MUR 27.66

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$4.32 MUR 202

-50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.38 MUR 158

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.43 MUR 67.0

20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.65 MUR 30.32

141.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.29 MUR 60.4

-6.98%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.11 MUR 98.8

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.13 MUR 521

45.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.05 MUR 284

-49.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.51 MUR 586

-13.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.97 MUR 92.4

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.01 MUR 94.0

-41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.49 MUR 69.7

14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.76 MUR 129

-42.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.04 MUR 48.65

33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.99 MUR 46.21

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.85 MUR 39.96

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.47 MUR 22.05

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.66 MUR 265

-17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.61 MUR 404

106.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.81 MUR 84.7

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.40 MUR 65.6

138.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.85 MUR 39.84

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.42 MUR 207

-68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.73 MUR 128

-50.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$11.13 MUR 521

-27.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.40 MUR 65.6

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.0K MUR 1.6M

-38.83%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-25.65%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$49.01 MUR 2,296

45.54%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.16 MUR 851

-22.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$33.60 MUR 1,574

-46.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$46.78 MUR 2,191

-12.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.91 MUR 277

-3.21%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$111 MUR 5,197

177.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,671 MUR 125.1K

449.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$32.47 MUR 1,521

71.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$32.75 MUR 1,534

-20.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$109 MUR 5,121

-22.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$93.9 MUR 4,397

-24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$593 MUR 27.8K

-28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$512 MUR 24.0K

-52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$964 MUR 45.1K

-17.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$757 MUR 35.5K

-33.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$677 MUR 31.7K

-12.16%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Flic en Flac: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $593 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 14% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $220 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,735 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 11% 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 $852, than in Flic en Flac at $1,157. 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 $852 versus $1,157 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.