Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Grand Bois Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Grand Bois

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,044 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,720 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,397 in Grand Bois, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Grand Bois, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Grand Bois are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Grand Bois 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$6.57 MUR 310

-68.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$44.46 MUR 2,099

-57.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$7.28 MUR 344

7.97%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.59 MUR 122

-21.62%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.03 MUR 48.70

-22.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.56 MUR 26.41

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.22 MUR 105

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.23 MUR 153

13.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.64 MUR 77.3

5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.70 MUR 33.23

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.32 MUR 62.5

-9.09%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.26 MUR 107

-12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.66 MUR 551

39.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.01 MUR 284

-49.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$12.54 MUR 592

-13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.04 MUR 96.4

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.01 MUR 95.1

-41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.50 MUR 70.7

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.75 MUR 130

-42.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.04 MUR 48.89

33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.01 MUR 47.84

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.85 MUR 40.01

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.82 MUR 38.66

-36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.67 MUR 315

-30.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$8.42 MUR 398

111.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.73 MUR 81.6

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.24 MUR 106

49.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$1.00 MUR 47.13

-9.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$4.29 MUR 203

-67.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$2.66 MUR 126

-49.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$19.75 MUR 932

-58.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.40 MUR 65.9

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

-39.45%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-25.36%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$50.4 MUR 2,381

41.44%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$18.29 MUR 864

-23.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$34.01 MUR 1,606

-47.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$37.58 MUR 1,775

8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.22 MUR 294

-8.04%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$156 MUR 7,349

98.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,915 MUR 184.8K

274.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$85.7 MUR 4,048

-34.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$80.1 MUR 3,780

-67.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$130 MUR 6,127

-34.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$95.5 MUR 4,508

-25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$522 MUR 24.7K

-18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$358 MUR 16.9K

-32.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$966 MUR 45.6K

-17.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$730 MUR 34.5K

-30.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

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 Grand Bois: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $522 in Grand Bois. 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 Grand Bois. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Grand Bois – so Grand Bois 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 Grand Bois: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand Bois costs about 22% 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 $1,566 in Grand Bois. 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 Grand Bois. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Grand Bois – 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 Grand Bois at $1,044. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grand Bois it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,044 in Grand Bois. 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, Grand Bois makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.