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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $634 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,450 in Grand Bois, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Grand Bois, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Grand Bois are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Grand Bois 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.67 MUR 269

-63.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$38.87 MUR 1,846

-49.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.55 MUR 359

-24.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.60 MUR 124

-30.38%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.18 MUR 56.2

-34.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.62 MUR 29.56

-43.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.66 MUR 127

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.85 MUR 230

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.54 MUR 73.1

33.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.78 MUR 37.23

93.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.15 MUR 54.6

21.74%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.66 MUR 126

-15.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.22 MUR 248

210.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.55 MUR 311

-55.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.39 MUR 541

-17.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.76 MUR 131

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.66 MUR 127

-59.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.43 MUR 68.1

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.95 MUR 140

-50.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.99 MUR 47.08

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.99 MUR 47.04

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.73 MUR 34.84

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.85 MUR 40.26

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.44 MUR 306

-34.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.53 MUR 405

114.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.62 MUR 77.0

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.38 MUR 113

21.85%

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

$4.33 MUR 206

-72.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.22 MUR 153

-81.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$21.27 MUR 1,010

-88.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.39 MUR 66.0

4.32%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

-42.91%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.2K MUR 1.5M

-15.33%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$45.39 MUR 2,156

40.23%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.45 MUR 496

23.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$29.48 MUR 1,400

-30.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.18 MUR 294

6.47%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$127 MUR 6,013

519.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,698 MUR 365.6K

90.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$77.1 MUR 3,663

-28.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$75.0 MUR 3,560

-66.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$119 MUR 5,661

-21.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$79.1 MUR 3,759

-6.55%

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 Grand Bois: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Grand Bois. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $219 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

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Grand Bois, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $951 in Grand Bois. 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 $39.00 in Grand Bois. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Grand Bois, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Grand Bois 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. Grand Bois costs $634 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 Grand Bois. 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.