Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and La Garenne-Colombes

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,653 in La Garenne-Colombes, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
La Garenne-Colombes
🇫🇷 France
$1,653
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in La Garenne-Colombes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in La Garenne-Colombes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,653 in La Garenne-Colombes, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • La Garenne-Colombes $1,653

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,662 in La Garenne-Colombes, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • La Garenne-Colombes $2,662

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,670 in La Garenne-Colombes, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • La Garenne-Colombes $3,670

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than La Garenne-Colombes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while La Garenne-Colombes is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.5
$16.53 €14.73
-86.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿642
$76.6 €68.3
-74.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$13.29 €11.85
-57.94%
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.7
$2.95 €2.63
-41.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.59
$3.43 €3.06
-81.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.20
$2.12 €1.89
-84.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.9
$7.75 €6.91
-69.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿131
$5.42 €4.83
-28.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.8
$1.35 €1.20
51.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.80
$1.75 €1.56
-20.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.98
$2.46 €2.19
-47.97%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.4
$3.94 €3.52
-42.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿567
$9.96 €8.88
70.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.8
$11.93 €10.63
-77.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$16.27 €14.51
-42.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.5
$3.02 €2.69
-20.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.99
$2.21 €1.97
-54.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿54.0
$1.49 €1.33
8.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.8
$4.06 €3.62
-62.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.99
$1.77 €1.58
-27.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.30
$2.02 €1.80
-45.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.14
$1.63 €1.45
-55.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.57
$0.15 €0.13
246.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$12.98 €11.57
-66.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿594
$5.54 €4.94
220.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.5
$1.40 €1.25
16.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.5
$1.59 €1.41
79.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.37
$1.93 €1.72
-55.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,805
$53.7 €47.91
0.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.26
$2.27 €2.02
-48.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.04
$1.12 €1.00
-49.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.3
$32.01 €28.54
-92.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$2.07 €1.85
-29.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿685.7K
$34.2K €30.5K
-40.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿887.9K
$35.4K €31.6K
-25.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,088
$206 €183
-69.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿411
$15.68 €13.98
-21.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿669
$29.83 €26.59
-33.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,270
$35.24 €31.42
7.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
$33.02 €29.44
-88.61%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿225
$14.53 €12.96
-53.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.7K
$876 €781
-9.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿496.7K
$10.1K €8,990
47.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,783
$108 €96.5
-50.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿839
$46.47 €41.43
-46.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,068
$102 €90.7
-9.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,460
$153 €137
-52.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$686 €612
-32.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$516 €460
-41.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.7K
$1,306 €1,165
-29.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$1,065 €949
-48.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿64.0K
$3,786 €3,376
-49.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.2K
$3,128 €2,788
-54.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
La Garenne-Colombes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.4
63.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for La Garenne-Colombes: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
La Garenne-Colombes
$516 69.5% $212
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
La Garenne-Colombes
$288 21.2% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
La Garenne-Colombes
$184 68.3% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
La Garenne-Colombes
$251 165% $156
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
La Garenne-Colombes
$279 254% $200
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
La Garenne-Colombes
$69 13% $8
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
La Garenne-Colombes
$64 25.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $686 in La Garenne-Colombes. 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 $77.0 in La Garenne-Colombes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $288 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇫🇷 La Garenne-Colombes
🕒 Local time
11:00 11:00 AM
06:00 6:00 AM
5 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
29,932
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 33.49 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai La Garenne-Colombes 8,920 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • La Garenne-Colombes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 La Garenne-Colombes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or La Garenne-Colombes?
La Garenne-Colombes costs about 76% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in La Garenne-Colombes?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,480 in La Garenne-Colombes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or La Garenne-Colombes?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in La Garenne-Colombes?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $876 in La Garenne-Colombes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in La Garenne-Colombes?
Groceries cost about 21% more in La Garenne-Colombes, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in La Garenne-Colombes?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in La Garenne-Colombes at $1,653. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Garenne-Colombes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or La Garenne-Colombes?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,653 in La Garenne-Colombes. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to La Garenne-Colombes?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to La Garenne-Colombes?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Garenne-Colombes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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