Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Grand-Gaube Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Grand-Gaube

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $903 in Grand-Gaube, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,495 in Grand-Gaube, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,087 in Grand-Gaube, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Grand-Gaube, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Grand-Gaube are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Grand-Gaube 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.78 MUR 317

-71.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.80 MUR 2,049

-57.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.35 MUR 344

7.76%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.62 MUR 123

-27.10%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.94 MUR 44.03

-10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.55 MUR 25.82

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.24 MUR 105

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.25 MUR 152

16.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.11 MUR 52.0

47.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.71 MUR 32.99

128.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.29 MUR 60.3

-8.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.05 MUR 96.0

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.10 MUR 566

31.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.33 MUR 156

-9.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.84 MUR 601

-16.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.35 MUR 63.4

93.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.51 MUR 70.7

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.33 MUR 62.3

27.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.12 MUR 52.5

41.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.99 MUR 46.55

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.85 MUR 39.74

37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.85 MUR 39.61

-21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.56 MUR 26.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.69 MUR 313

-32.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.39 MUR 299

184.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.21 MUR 56.6

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.18 MUR 102

48.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.03 MUR 48.22

-13.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.51 MUR 211

-70.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.60 MUR 121

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.74 MUR 924

-58.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.46 MUR 68.1

-13.01%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-41.18%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-23.10%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$50.1 MUR 2,344

40.02%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.60 MUR 870

-25.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.52 MUR 1,568

-47.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.25 MUR 1,790

8.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.14 MUR 287

-5.86%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$65.5 MUR 3,066

367.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,956 MUR 185.1K

274.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$25.95 MUR 1,214

109.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$26.35 MUR 1,233

-0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$67.2 MUR 3,146

25.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$32.70 MUR 1,530

112.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$520 MUR 24.4K

-18.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$355 MUR 16.6K

-32.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$943 MUR 44.1K

-12.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$720 MUR 33.7K

-28.44%

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-Gaube: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $520 in Grand-Gaube. 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-Gaube. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Grand-Gaube – so Grand-Gaube 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-Gaube: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand-Gaube costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,354 in Grand-Gaube. 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-Gaube. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Grand-Gaube – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $903 in Grand-Gaube, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $903 in Grand-Gaube. 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-Gaube makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.