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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $928 in Mahebourg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,536 in Mahebourg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,144 in Mahebourg, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Mahebourg are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mahebourg 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.28 MUR 249

-62.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$44.22 MUR 2,083

-57.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.18 MUR 291

25.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.66 MUR 125

-27.82%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.04 MUR 48.76

-24.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.60 MUR 28.18

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.24 MUR 105

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.21 MUR 151

14.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.03 MUR 48.34

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.45 MUR 21.29

262.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.29 MUR 60.6

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.75 MUR 82.3

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.70 MUR 269

180.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.21 MUR 292

-51.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.67 MUR 597

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.70 MUR 79.8

62.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.94 MUR 91.6

-39.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.48 MUR 69.7

10.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.64 MUR 124

-42.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.99 MUR 46.60

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.01 MUR 47.39

17.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.80 MUR 37.72

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.51 MUR 23.93

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.67 MUR 314

-31.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.48 MUR 399

95.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.36 MUR 63.9

34.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.68 MUR 79.2

90.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.97 MUR 45.73

-9.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.49 MUR 211

-69.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.75 MUR 129

-51.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.88 MUR 936

-60.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 MUR 68.5

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-39.88%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-22.82%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$43.14 MUR 2,032

63.51%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.29 MUR 861

-25.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.06 MUR 1,557

-47.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$38.89 MUR 1,831

6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.58 MUR 263

3.41%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$156 MUR 7,352

96.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,975 MUR 187.2K

267.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$67.1 MUR 3,158

-16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.54 MUR 2,097

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$77.5 MUR 3,648

10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$72.2 MUR 3,400

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$520 MUR 24.5K

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$352 MUR 16.6K

-32.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$960 MUR 45.2K

-14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$724 MUR 34.1K

-29.41%

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 Mahebourg: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $520 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 $44.00 in Mahebourg. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $194 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 7% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,391 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 $44.00 in Mahebourg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% 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 $869, than in Mahebourg at $928. 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 $869 versus $928 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.