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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $726 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,199 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,673 in Nouakchott, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nouakchott are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Nouakchott 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$2.56 MRU 102

-17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$24.12 MRU 965

-17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$6.10 MRU 244

-5.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MRU 71.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 MRU 68.7

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$2.30 MRU 92.1

-20.43%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$1.79 MRU 71.7

-56.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$2.19 MRU 87.6

-85.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.57 MRU 62.7

29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$0.26 MRU 10.36

515.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$1.31 MRU 52.6

8.40%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$2.24 MRU 89.8

-2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$5.89 MRU 236

170.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.41 MRU 216

-43.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.27 MRU 291

35.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$2.86 MRU 115

-8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$1.78 MRU 71.1

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$1.38 MRU 55.0

18.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.90 MRU 36.03

70.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$0.78 MRU 31.20

58.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$0.87 MRU 34.66

29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$0.73 MRU 29.16

1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.59 MRU 23.52

-15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.17 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MRU 105

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MRU 67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.46 MRU 98.4

73.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$0.46 MRU 18.57

104.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$21.87 MRU 876

152.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$0.89 MRU 35.69

38.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.35 MRU 14.13

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$3.51 MRU 140

-31.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.46 MRU 58.5

-1.37%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$7,435 MRU 297.6K

185.07%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$8,979 MRU 359.4K

204.11%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$129 MRU 5,148

-49.51%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$22.36 MRU 895

-40.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$59.5 MRU 2,380

-64.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$29.92 MRU 1,198

35.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$246 MRU 9,852

-98.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.04 MRU 162

66.09%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$449 MRU 18.0K

75.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$7,502 MRU 300.3K

101.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$22.47 MRU 900

150.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$22.51 MRU 901

10.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$68.8 MRU 2,756

34.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$41.81 MRU 1,674

79.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$217 MRU 8,678

123.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$150 MRU 5,989

92.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$735 MRU 29.4K

23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$286 MRU 11.4K

85.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$6,369 MRU 254.9K

-68.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$2,930 MRU 117.3K

-50.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$577 MRU 23.1K

4.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-72.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $217 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 5% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Nouakchott. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $148 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 31% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,089 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $449 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nouakchott, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $726 versus $950 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.