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 $1,061 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,749 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,437 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.65 MUR 312

-69.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$43.96 MUR 2,059

-57.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.01 MUR 328

12.13%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.62 MUR 123

-22.52%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.97 MUR 45.53

-17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.59 MUR 27.84

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.15 MUR 101

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.35 MUR 157

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.63 MUR 76.3

6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.70 MUR 32.99

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.33 MUR 62.2

-9.77%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.26 MUR 106

-12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.93 MUR 559

36.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.13 MUR 287

-50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.90 MUR 604

-16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.96 MUR 92.0

41.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.02 MUR 94.5

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.51 MUR 70.7

13.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.63 MUR 123

-39.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.03 MUR 48.41

34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.02 MUR 47.66

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.80 MUR 37.53

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.76 MUR 35.38

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.66 MUR 312

-30.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.65 MUR 405

105.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.73 MUR 80.9

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.15 MUR 101

55.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.05 MUR 48.98

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.28 MUR 201

-67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.74 MUR 128

-51.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$20.13 MUR 943

-59.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.39 MUR 65.2

-11.51%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.0K MUR 1.6M

-38.81%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-24.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$49.26 MUR 2,307

44.80%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.09 MUR 847

-22.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$33.43 MUR 1,566

-46.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$38.32 MUR 1,795

6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.87 MUR 275

-2.56%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$156 MUR 7,320

97.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,922 MUR 183.7K

274.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$84.8 MUR 3,973

-34.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$81.2 MUR 3,805

-67.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$130 MUR 6,106

-34.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$94.8 MUR 4,442

-25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$508 MUR 23.8K

-16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$359 MUR 16.8K

-32.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$961 MUR 45.0K

-17.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$709 MUR 33.2K

-28.55%

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

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fond du Sac: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $508 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 – $244 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 24% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,591 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 $1,061. 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 $1,061 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.