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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $843 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,387 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,931 in Nouakchott, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nouakchott are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nouakchott 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.96 MRU 198

-60.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$24.64 MRU 984

-24.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.35 MRU 254

23.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 MRU 77.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.8

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.38 MRU 95.0

-18.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.76 MRU 70.4

-51.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.23 MRU 89.3

-84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.38 MRU 55.2

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.29 MRU 11.64

462.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.25 MRU 50.1

-8.80%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.18 MRU 87.3

-11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.90 MRU 316

105.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.70 MRU 228

-45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.97 MRU 278

56.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.18 MRU 87.1

26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.80 MRU 72.0

-32.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.48 MRU 59.0

9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.96 MRU 38.27

65.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.80 MRU 32.06

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.90 MRU 36.14

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.52 MRU 20.72

26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.70 MRU 27.89

-24.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.17 MRU 406

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MRU 100

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MRU 68.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.59 MRU 104

81.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.53 MRU 21.18

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$17.45 MRU 697

10.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.90 MRU 35.89

56.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.26 MRU 10.48

396.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.66 MRU 226

38.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.43 MRU 57.3

-11.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$7,521 MRU 300.5K

182.91%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$9,149 MRU 365.5K

142.78%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$146 MRU 5,841

-52.76%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$25.45 MRU 1,017

-44.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$61.4 MRU 2,452

-70.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$89.0 MRU 3,556

-53.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$248 MRU 9,915

-97.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.37 MRU 174

35.47%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$79.8 MRU 3,189

274.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,985 MRU 239.1K

149.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$20.71 MRU 827

164.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$20.75 MRU 829

29.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$69.2 MRU 2,766

22.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$35.36 MRU 1,413

99.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$224 MRU 8,968

90.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$162 MRU 6,488

46.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$622 MRU 24.9K

28.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$320 MRU 12.8K

61.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,530 MRU 260.9K

-69.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,008 MRU 120.2K

-50.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$562 MRU 22.4K

9.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

-69.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $224 in Nouakchott. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Nouakchott. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $151 in Nouakchott – so Nouakchott 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 Nouakchott: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Nouakchott, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,265 in Nouakchott. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouakchott, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $79.8 in Nouakchott. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $843 in Nouakchott, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $843 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Nouakchott. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.