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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,731 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,397 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% 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 35% lower, Fond du Sac 21% 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

$43.78 MUR 2,062

-57.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.98 MUR 328

11.03%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.64 MUR 124

-27.27%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.02 MUR 48.04

-22.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.60 MUR 28.31

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.26 MUR 106

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.37 MUR 159

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.62 MUR 76.2

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.65 MUR 30.74

150.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.28 MUR 60.1

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.33 MUR 110

-14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.03 MUR 567

32.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.24 MUR 294

-51.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.86 MUR 606

-15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.01 MUR 94.5

37.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.02 MUR 95.3

-41.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.50 MUR 70.7

9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.64 MUR 124

-42.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.99 MUR 46.50

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.99 MUR 46.81

20.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.79 MUR 37.11

-11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.81 MUR 38.32

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.48 MUR 305

-29.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.25 MUR 388

100.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.73 MUR 81.4

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.16 MUR 102

48.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.99 MUR 46.59

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.51 MUR 212

-69.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.71 MUR 128

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.60 MUR 923

-60.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 MUR 68.2

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-38.69%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-21.94%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.87 MUR 2,348

41.45%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.53 MUR 872

-26.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.89 MUR 1,596

-48.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$38.52 MUR 1,814

7.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.01 MUR 283

-3.99%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$153 MUR 7,206

100.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,977 MUR 187.3K

267.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$86.5 MUR 4,073

-35.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$80.5 MUR 3,791

-67.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$131 MUR 6,148

-34.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$96.4 MUR 4,541

-25.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$505 MUR 23.8K

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$357 MUR 16.8K

-33.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$956 MUR 45.0K

-14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$714 MUR 33.6K

-28.50%

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

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Fond du Sac: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $505 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $232 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 23% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,597 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 4% 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 $869, than in Fond du Sac at $1,065. 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 $869 versus $1,065 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.