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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,073 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,757 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,442 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 35% lower, Grand Bois 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.78 MUR 319

-70.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$44.64 MUR 2,102

-57.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.23 MUR 341

7.19%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.67 MUR 126

-28.09%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.97 MUR 45.61

-18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.56 MUR 26.18

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.18 MUR 103

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.39 MUR 160

7.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.65 MUR 77.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.66 MUR 30.88

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.29 MUR 60.6

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.26 MUR 106

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.06 MUR 568

32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.06 MUR 285

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.69 MUR 597

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.01 MUR 94.4

37.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.00 MUR 94.0

-41.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.49 MUR 70.3

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.71 MUR 128

-43.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.98 MUR 46.30

40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.02 MUR 47.81

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.86 MUR 40.49

-18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 MUR 35.41

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.65 MUR 313

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.31 MUR 391

99.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.75 MUR 82.3

4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.17 MUR 102

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.99 MUR 46.76

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.47 MUR 210

-69.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.65 MUR 125

-49.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.00 MUR 942

-60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.41 MUR 66.4

-12.77%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-39.92%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

-22.57%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$48.84 MUR 2,300

44.43%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.33 MUR 863

-25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.91 MUR 1,597

-48.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.87 MUR 1,783

9.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.90 MUR 278

-2.20%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$154 MUR 7,229

100.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,976 MUR 187.2K

267.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$86.8 MUR 4,088

-35.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$80.0 MUR 3,767

-67.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$132 MUR 6,197

-34.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$96.4 MUR 4,540

-25.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$513 MUR 24.2K

-16.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$347 MUR 16.3K

-31.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$950 MUR 44.7K

-13.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$713 MUR 33.6K

-28.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Grand Bois: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $513 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 $45.00 in Grand Bois. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $230 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 23% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,609 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 $45.00 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 $869, than in Grand Bois at $1,073. 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 $869 versus $1,073 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.