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 $959 in Mahebourg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,549 in Mahebourg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,140 in Mahebourg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.28 MUR 248

-61.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$43.92 MUR 2,057

-57.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.53 MUR 306

20.37%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.68 MUR 125

-24.25%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.02 MUR 47.99

-21.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.55 MUR 25.99

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.24 MUR 105

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.36 MUR 157

9.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.96 MUR 44.86

80.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.45 MUR 21.16

248.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.28 MUR 60.2

-6.25%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.80 MUR 84.5

9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.69 MUR 267

185.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.04 MUR 283

-49.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.75 MUR 597

-15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.67 MUR 78.3

65.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.94 MUR 90.9

-39.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.44 MUR 67.4

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.64 MUR 123

-39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.98 MUR 46.04

41.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.95 MUR 44.73

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.80 MUR 37.61

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.47 MUR 21.83

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.54 MUR 306

-28.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.28 MUR 388

114.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.28 MUR 60.1

39.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.62 MUR 76.0

106.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.97 MUR 45.64

-6.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.38 MUR 205

-67.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.63 MUR 123

-49.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$19.58 MUR 917

-58.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.40 MUR 65.8

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-39.69%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-22.79%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$43.53 MUR 2,039

63.86%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.04 MUR 845

-22.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$32.87 MUR 1,540

-45.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$37.77 MUR 1,769

8.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.59 MUR 262

2.33%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$156 MUR 7,303

97.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,963 MUR 185.6K

270.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$67.2 MUR 3,145

-16.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.03 MUR 2,062

-40.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$77.0 MUR 3,608

10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$70.7 MUR 3,312

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$519 MUR 24.3K

-18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$349 MUR 16.3K

-30.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$933 MUR 43.7K

-14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$719 MUR 33.7K

-29.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahebourg: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $519 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 – $244 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 13% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,439 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 28% 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 $959. 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 $959 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.