Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Quatre Bornes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Quatre Bornes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $853 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,341 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,829 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Quatre Bornes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Quatre Bornes 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.74 MUR 177

-48.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$22.24 MUR 1,051

-16.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.61 MUR 265

39.39%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.56 MUR 121

-23.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.73 MUR 34.65

16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.32 MUR 15.09

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.23 MUR 105

-4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.38 MUR 160

10.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.36 MUR 64.2

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.56 MUR 26.61

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.27 MUR 59.9

-10.24%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.05 MUR 96.8

-5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.09 MUR 146

424.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.87 MUR 183

-19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.64 MUR 408

26.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.75 MUR 82.5

57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.73 MUR 81.7

-30.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.51 MUR 71.4

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.71 MUR 128

-41.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.98 MUR 46.19

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.01 MUR 47.53

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.84 MUR 39.56

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.79 MUR 37.52

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.22 MUR 294

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.67 MUR 409

115.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.85 MUR 39.98

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.45 MUR 68.4

122.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.74 MUR 34.94

21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.33 MUR 205

-67.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.73 MUR 129

-52.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.09 MUR 949

-60.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.39 MUR 65.8

-8.63%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$20.1K MUR 951.9K

5.61%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.7K MUR 1.4M

-22.72%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$43.36 MUR 2,049

59.29%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$11.13 MUR 526

26.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$31.77 MUR 1,501

-43.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$30.08 MUR 1,421

36.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$8.58 MUR 406

-18.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.96 MUR 282

-0.67%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$125 MUR 5,887

140.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,898 MUR 184.2K

283.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$86.5 MUR 4,088

-36.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$80.0 MUR 3,779

-66.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$130 MUR 6,134

-34.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$94.3 MUR 4,456

-25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$352 MUR 16.6K

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$262 MUR 12.4K

-9.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$592 MUR 28.0K

35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$504 MUR 23.8K

2.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,144 MUR 54.1K

72.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$515 MUR 24.4K

19.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

-22.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $352 in Quatre Bornes. 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 20% 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 $22.00 in Quatre Bornes. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Quatre Bornes – so Quatre Bornes 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 Quatre Bornes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Quatre Bornes, 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 $1,280 in Quatre Bornes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $22.00 in Quatre Bornes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $853 in Quatre Bornes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quatre Bornes costs $853 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 Quatre Bornes. 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.