Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mahebourg Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mahebourg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $946 in Mahebourg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,541 in Mahebourg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,136 in Mahebourg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Mahebourg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mahebourg are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mahebourg 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$5.21 MUR 243

-62.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$43.48 MUR 2,033

-56.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.23 MUR 291

27.13%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.58 MUR 121

-25.97%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$1.01 MUR 47.21

-16.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.60 MUR 28.18

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.25 MUR 105

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.25 MUR 152

16.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$0.94 MUR 44.12

74.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.49 MUR 22.99

230.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.32 MUR 61.5

-10.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.73 MUR 81.1

16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$5.51 MUR 258

188.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.02 MUR 282

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$12.40 MUR 580

-13.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.69 MUR 79.2

54.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$2.00 MUR 93.6

-39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.45 MUR 67.9

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$2.61 MUR 122

-39.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.99 MUR 46.25

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.92 MUR 43.21

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.85 MUR 39.68

-21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.50 MUR 23.41

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$6.53 MUR 305

-30.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$8.45 MUR 395

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.36 MUR 63.4

34.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.62 MUR 75.9

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.94 MUR 43.95

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$4.27 MUR 200

-68.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$2.73 MUR 128

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$19.43 MUR 908

-57.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.40 MUR 65.4

-9.29%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-40.42%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

-21.33%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$43.50 MUR 2,034

61.26%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$18.40 MUR 860

-25.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$32.25 MUR 1,508

-45.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$38.21 MUR 1,787

8.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$5.46 MUR 255

5.86%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$155 MUR 7,231

97.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$3,999 MUR 186.9K

270.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$65.3 MUR 3,052

-16.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$44.57 MUR 2,084

-41.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$78.4 MUR 3,663

7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$70.6 MUR 3,299

-1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$517 MUR 24.1K

-17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$351 MUR 16.4K

-32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$943 MUR 44.1K

-12.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$708 MUR 33.1K

-27.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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 Mahebourg: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $517 in Mahebourg. 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 $43.00 in Mahebourg. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Mahebourg – so Mahebourg 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 Mahebourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahebourg costs about 11% 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 $1,420 in Mahebourg. 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 $43.00 in Mahebourg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Mahebourg – 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 Mahebourg at $946. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mahebourg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $946 in Mahebourg. 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, Mahebourg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.