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 $1,057 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,720 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,382 in Grand Bois, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.48 MUR 303

-69.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.53 MUR 2,037

-56.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.05 MUR 330

12.34%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.67 MUR 125

-28.46%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.04 MUR 48.60

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 MUR 26.02

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.16 MUR 101

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.24 MUR 152

17.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.71 MUR 79.9

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.67 MUR 31.14

141.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.33 MUR 62.4

-11.28%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.27 MUR 106

-11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.97 MUR 560

32.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.28 MUR 294

-52.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.88 MUR 603

-16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.07 MUR 97.1

26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.93 MUR 90.1

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.44 MUR 67.3

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.63 MUR 123

-39.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 MUR 48.23

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.93 MUR 43.45

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.84 MUR 39.42

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.77 MUR 36.00

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.71 MUR 314

-32.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.46 MUR 396

115.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.74 MUR 81.6

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.19 MUR 102

47.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.00 MUR 46.85

-11.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.33 MUR 203

-68.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.73 MUR 128

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.74 MUR 924

-58.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.42 MUR 66.2

-10.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.2K MUR 1.6M

-39.82%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-22.46%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$50.1 MUR 2,345

39.96%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.64 MUR 872

-26.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.63 MUR 1,574

-47.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$37.82 MUR 1,769

9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.13 MUR 287

-5.71%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$157 MUR 7,337

95.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,944 MUR 184.5K

275.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$83.9 MUR 3,926

-35.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$78.2 MUR 3,659

-66.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$131 MUR 6,129

-35.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$93.8 MUR 4,388

-25.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$511 MUR 23.9K

-17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$346 MUR 16.2K

-31.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$941 MUR 44.0K

-12.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$732 MUR 34.2K

-29.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Grand Bois: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $511 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $232 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 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,586 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 5% 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 $1,057. 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 $1,057 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.