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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $851 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,387 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,923 in Nouakchott, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nouakchott are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nouakchott 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.94 MRU 197

-60.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.95 MRU 995

-26.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.37 MRU 254

17.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 79.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.4

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.40 MRU 95.8

-15.83%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.83 MRU 72.8

-53.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.14 MRU 85.3

-83.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.38 MRU 55.0

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.27 MRU 10.72

481.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.25 MRU 50.0

-4.80%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.20 MRU 87.7

-11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.10 MRU 323

99.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.62 MRU 224

-46.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.34 MRU 293

49.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.27 MRU 90.7

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.83 MRU 72.8

-36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.46 MRU 58.1

15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.97 MRU 38.57

64.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.80 MRU 32.10

72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.85 MRU 33.72

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.56 MRU 22.51

19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.69 MRU 27.51

-18.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.20 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MRU 105

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MRU 68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.55 MRU 102

81.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.53 MRU 21.14

66.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$17.96 MRU 716

7.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.84 MRU 33.53

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.26 MRU 10.45

415.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.76 MRU 230

42.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.39 MRU 55.5

-12.23%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$7,604 MRU 303.2K

180.83%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$9,039 MRU 360.5K

149.24%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$144 MRU 5,752

-51.00%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$25.38 MRU 1,012

-44.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$60.8 MRU 2,425

-71.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$86.0 MRU 3,431

-51.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$256 MRU 10.2K

-97.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.48 MRU 179

32.14%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$81.4 MRU 3,247

279.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,925 MRU 236.3K

151.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$20.58 MRU 821

170.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$20.50 MRU 818

27.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$70.2 MRU 2,801

18.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$35.30 MRU 1,408

99.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$229 MRU 9,127

88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$164 MRU 6,549

45.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$636 MRU 25.4K

29.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$317 MRU 12.7K

61.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$6,610 MRU 263.6K

-71.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,019 MRU 120.4K

-51.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$578 MRU 23.1K

0.22%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $229 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 0% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Nouakchott. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $152 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 1% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,277 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $81.4 in Nouakchott. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $851 in Nouakchott, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $851 versus $861 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.