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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,069 in Port Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,712 in Port Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,356 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 35% lower, Port Louis 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.59 MUR 311

-70.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$44.79 MUR 2,116

-58.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.16 MUR 338

9.22%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.56 MUR 121

-23.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.00 MUR 47.36

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.56 MUR 26.38

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.25 MUR 106

-5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.24 MUR 153

15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.63 MUR 76.9

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.65 MUR 30.62

150.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.32 MUR 62.4

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.22 MUR 105

-13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.98 MUR 566

35.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.06 MUR 286

-48.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.85 MUR 607

-15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.03 MUR 96.0

35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.00 MUR 94.3

-39.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.44 MUR 68.2

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.66 MUR 126

-40.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.02 MUR 48.28

37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.01 MUR 47.69

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.81 MUR 38.11

-18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.80 MUR 37.85

-33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.68 MUR 316

-29.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.63 MUR 408

116.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.80 MUR 85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.25 MUR 106

43.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.03 MUR 48.62

-12.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$22.00 MUR 1,040

-12.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.37 MUR 207

-67.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.74 MUR 130

-52.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.46 MUR 920

-59.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.44 MUR 68.1

-11.81%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$36.5K MUR 1.7M

-41.64%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-23.48%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$48.79 MUR 2,305

41.57%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.55 MUR 876

-24.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$33.17 MUR 1,567

-45.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$24.33 MUR 1,149

68.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.09 MUR 193

70.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.92 MUR 280

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

$299 ฿9,766

$152 MUR 7,202

96.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,933 MUR 185.8K

280.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$86.3 MUR 4,080

-36.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$80.4 MUR 3,797

-66.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$132 MUR 6,226

-35.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$96.4 MUR 4,553

-26.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$463 MUR 21.9K

-7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$349 MUR 16.5K

-31.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$781 MUR 36.9K

2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$614 MUR 29.0K

-16.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,106 MUR 194.0K

-51.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,078 MUR 50.9K

36.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$677 MUR 32.0K

-8.85%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Port Louis: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $463 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 10% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Port Louis. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $232 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 23% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,603 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 $299 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 $866, than in Port Louis at $1,069. 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 $866 versus $1,069 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.