Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mahebourg

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $960 in Mahebourg, rent and utilities included – about $290 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Mahebourg, Mauritius
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Mahebourg
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$960
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Mahebourg

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 Mahebourg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $960 in Mahebourg, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Mahebourg $960

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,203 in Mahebourg, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Mahebourg $1,203

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,445 in Mahebourg, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Mahebourg $1,445

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Mahebourg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Mahebourg are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Mahebourg 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$5.04 MUR 235
-55.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$37.95 MUR 1,768
-49.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$5.10 MUR 238
8.82%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$2.73 MUR 127
-38.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.53
$1.14 MUR 53.0
-43.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.30
$0.67 MUR 31.37
-53.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$2.71 MUR 126
-12.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$4.82 MUR 225
-24.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$1.56 MUR 72.7
25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.45
$0.78 MUR 36.30
84.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.01
$1.16 MUR 53.9
14.66%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$2.60 MUR 121
-12.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$5.18 MUR 241
217.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$6.51 MUR 303
-57.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$11.34 MUR 528
-17.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$2.84 MUR 132
-17.25%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.78
$2.59 MUR 120
-62.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.39 MUR 64.6
15.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$3.00 MUR 140
-50.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.10
$1.00 MUR 46.37
28.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.17
$0.94 MUR 43.98
17.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.81
$0.70 MUR 32.43
1.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.36
$0.85 MUR 39.74
-42.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$6.65 MUR 310
-37.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$8.73 MUR 407
100.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.70 MUR 79.0
-5.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$2.31 MUR 108
20.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.29
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,825
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.03
$4.20 MUR 196
-72.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.79
$3.13 MUR 146
-83.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.7
$21.12 MUR 984
-88.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.87
$1.35 MUR 63.0
7.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.3K
$37.1K MUR 1.7M
-43.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿908.7K
$30.7K MUR 1.4M
-12.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,097
$45.02 MUR 2,097
38.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$10.59 MUR 493
14.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$29.39 MUR 1,369
-31.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$6.40 MUR 298
1.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$128 MUR 5,982
473.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.0K
$7,560 MUR 352.2K
95.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,800
$78.5 MUR 3,655
-31.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$74.3 MUR 3,463
-66.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,086
$119 MUR 5,521
-22.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,426
$78.2 MUR 3,642
-7.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$347 MUR 16.2K
-11.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Mahebourg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.67
-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mahebourg: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Mahebourg
$347 12.5% $39
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Mahebourg
$219 6.4% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Mahebourg
$157 44.8% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Mahebourg
$85 10% $9.5
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Mahebourg
$119 53.1% $41
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Mahebourg
$20 * 67.6% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Mahebourg
$13 * 74.6% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $38 in Mahebourg. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Mahebourg – so Mahebourg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇲🇺 Mahebourg
🕒 Local time
04:17 4:17 AM
01:17 1:17 AM
3 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
15,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 46.58 MUR (100 MUR = 2.15 USD). 1 EUR = 52.21 MUR (100 MUR = 1.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Mahebourg 6,260 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Mahebourg

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 Mahebourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Mahebourg?
Mahebourg costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 Mahebourg?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,441 in Mahebourg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Mahebourg?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $38 in Mahebourg. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Mahebourg?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Mahebourg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Mahebourg?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $960 in Mahebourg. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiang Mai or Mahebourg?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $960 in Mahebourg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Mahebourg?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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