Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Port Louis Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Port Louis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,066 in Port Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,713 in Port Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,359 in Port Louis, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Port Louis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Port Louis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Port Louis 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$6.73 MUR 316

-70.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$43.60 MUR 2,049

-57.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$7.11 MUR 334

5.20%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.55 MUR 120

-20.78%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.95 MUR 44.79

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.59 MUR 27.88

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.19 MUR 103

-2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.20 MUR 151

12.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.69 MUR 79.6

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.70 MUR 32.85

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.28 MUR 60.0

-7.03%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.25 MUR 106

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.87 MUR 558

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$6.22 MUR 293

-51.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$12.47 MUR 586

-12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$2.00 MUR 94.1

35.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.02 MUR 94.7

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.50 MUR 70.7

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.62 MUR 123

-38.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$1.03 MUR 48.48

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$0.93 MUR 43.64

29.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.84 MUR 39.54

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.74 MUR 34.83

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.55 MUR 308

-29.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$8.35 MUR 392

111.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.73 MUR 81.5

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.16 MUR 101

52.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$1.01 MUR 47.59

-12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$22.36 MUR 1,051

-13.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$4.51 MUR 212

-69.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$2.71 MUR 127

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$19.86 MUR 934

-58.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.44 MUR 67.8

-15.28%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

-39.76%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-22.78%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$48.83 MUR 2,295

44.73%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$18.07 MUR 849

-22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$33.95 MUR 1,596

-48.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$24.52 MUR 1,153

71.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.93 MUR 185

75.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.12 MUR 288

-3.27%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$152 MUR 7,139

103.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$3,892 MUR 182.9K

282.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$86.8 MUR 4,080

-35.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$80.8 MUR 3,798

-67.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$130 MUR 6,092

-35.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$95.7 MUR 4,498

-26.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$473 MUR 22.2K

-8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$347 MUR 16.3K

-31.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$779 MUR 36.6K

5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$614 MUR 28.9K

-16.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$4,136 MUR 194.4K

-53.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,064 MUR 50.0K

37.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$688 MUR 32.3K

-15.82%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Port Louis: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $473 in Port Louis. 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 19% higher in Port Louis, 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 $44.00 in Port Louis. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $230 in Port Louis – so Port Louis 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 Port Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Louis costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,599 in Port Louis. 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $152 in Port Louis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Port Louis – 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 $861, than in Port Louis at $1,066. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Louis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,066 in Port Louis. 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, Port Louis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.