Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fond du Sac Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fond du Sac

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,083 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,740 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,396 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Fond du Sac, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Fond du Sac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Fond du Sac 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.73 MUR 315

-70.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.54 MUR 2,037

-56.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.19 MUR 337

10.15%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.68 MUR 126

-28.73%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.01 MUR 47.49

-16.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.55 MUR 25.95

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.22 MUR 104

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.33 MUR 156

14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.68 MUR 78.7

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.65 MUR 30.28

149.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.26 MUR 59.0

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.32 MUR 108

-13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.95 MUR 559

32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.03 MUR 282

-50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.56 MUR 588

-14.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.08 MUR 97.4

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.96 MUR 91.9

-37.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.44 MUR 67.6

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.75 MUR 129

-42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.02 MUR 47.82

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.95 MUR 44.66

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.84 MUR 39.33

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.74 MUR 34.75

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.41 MUR 300

-29.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.75 MUR 409

108.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.72 MUR 80.3

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.24 MUR 105

44.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.04 MUR 48.44

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.29 MUR 201

-68.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.70 MUR 126

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.73 MUR 923

-58.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-13.01%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.4K MUR 1.7M

-41.86%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

-21.68%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$48.90 MUR 2,288

43.46%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.06 MUR 845

-23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.97 MUR 1,589

-48.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.44 MUR 1,799

8.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.95 MUR 279

-2.86%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$152 MUR 7,098

101.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,898 MUR 182.4K

280.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$85.8 MUR 4,015

-36.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$80.8 MUR 3,780

-67.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$134 MUR 6,263

-36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$95.2 MUR 4,454

-27.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$516 MUR 24.1K

-17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$353 MUR 16.5K

-32.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$957 MUR 44.8K

-13.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$713 MUR 33.4K

-27.75%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fond du Sac: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $516 in Fond du Sac. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Fond du Sac. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Fond du Sac – so Fond du Sac 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 Fond du Sac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fond du Sac costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,625 in Fond du Sac. 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 $44.00 in Fond du Sac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Fond du Sac – 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 Fond du Sac at $1,083. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fond du Sac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,083 in Fond du Sac. 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, Fond du Sac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.