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 $1,176 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,768 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,360 in Flic en Flac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% 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 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.69 MUR 313

-70.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$48.94 MUR 2,290

-61.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.15 MUR 335

10.77%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.58 MUR 121

-25.97%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.02 MUR 47.79

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.59 MUR 27.73

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.35 MUR 204

-49.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.26 MUR 153

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.43 MUR 67.0

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.71 MUR 33.03

128.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.33 MUR 62.0

-11.28%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.11 MUR 98.7

-4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.94 MUR 512

45.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.21 MUR 291

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.51 MUR 586

-13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.97 MUR 92.2

32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.95 MUR 91.0

-37.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.43 MUR 66.9

18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.75 MUR 129

-42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.00 MUR 46.65

32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.95 MUR 44.33

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.84 MUR 39.46

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.47 MUR 22.02

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.48 MUR 257

-17.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.78 MUR 411

107.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.73 MUR 81.0

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.39 MUR 64.9

132.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.90 MUR 42.17

-1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.43 MUR 207

-69.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.63 MUR 123

-48.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$11.04 MUR 516

-25.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.47 MUR 68.6

-13.61%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

-41.00%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-23.50%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$50.5 MUR 2,360

39.05%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.07 MUR 846

-23.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$32.92 MUR 1,540

-46.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$47.35 MUR 2,216

-12.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.03 MUR 282

-4.15%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$109 MUR 5,108

180.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,636 MUR 123.3K

462.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$33.64 MUR 1,574

61.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.30 MUR 1,558

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$110 MUR 5,143

-23.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$94.6 MUR 4,425

-26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$573 MUR 26.8K

-26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$499 MUR 23.3K

-52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$940 MUR 44.0K

-12.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$770 MUR 36.0K

-33.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$456 MUR 21.3K

39.26%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Flic en Flac: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $573 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 39% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Flic en Flac. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 38% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,764 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 $49.00 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 10% 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 $1,176. 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 $1,176 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.