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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $616 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,011 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,405 in Fond du Sac, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more 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 32% lower, Fond du Sac 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.75 MUR 273

-63.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$28.13 MUR 1,336

-30.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.54 MUR 358

-24.80%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.62 MUR 124

-30.92%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.08 MUR 51.4

-28.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.65 MUR 31.08

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.09 MUR 99.2

5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.61 MUR 124

45.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.55 MUR 73.8

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.79 MUR 37.67

91.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.11 MUR 52.6

26.13%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.67 MUR 127

-15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.25 MUR 250

208.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.56 MUR 312

-55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.13 MUR 529

-15.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.86 MUR 136

-6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.72 MUR 129

-59.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.46 MUR 69.4

10.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.99 MUR 142

-51.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.94 MUR 44.48

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.00 MUR 47.34

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.75 MUR 35.55

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.84 MUR 40.04

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.49 MUR 308

-34.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.64 MUR 410

111.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.64 MUR 77.8

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.37 MUR 113

22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$4.18 MUR 199

-72.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.12 MUR 148

-81.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$20.87 MUR 991

-88.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.40 MUR 66.3

3.57%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.2K MUR 1.7M

-41.98%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.4K MUR 1.5M

-15.87%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$44.86 MUR 2,131

41.89%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.58 MUR 408

50.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$21.15 MUR 1,004

-2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$17.27 MUR 820

125.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.29 MUR 299

4.61%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$127 MUR 6,030

517.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,616 MUR 361.7K

92.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$78.7 MUR 3,739

-29.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$74.6 MUR 3,544

-66.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$118 MUR 5,616

-20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$79.1 MUR 3,757

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Fond du Sac: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Fond du Sac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $220 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

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Fond du Sac, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $925 in Fond du Sac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Fond du Sac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Fond du Sac, where all-in costs run around $616, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Fond du Sac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fond du Sac costs $616 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Fond du Sac. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.