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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $866 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,814 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$3.94 MUR 185

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$21.86 MUR 1,027

-16.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$5.52 MUR 260

35.51%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.59 MUR 122

-22.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.74 MUR 34.73

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.34 MUR 16.19

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.26 MUR 106

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.27 MUR 154

9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.29 MUR 60.8

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.57 MUR 26.58

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.33 MUR 62.5

-10.53%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.12 MUR 99.5

-8.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.09 MUR 145

423.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$3.87 MUR 182

-22.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$8.98 MUR 422

21.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$1.80 MUR 84.7

50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.72 MUR 81.0

-31.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.50 MUR 70.7

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.69 MUR 127

-40.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$1.01 MUR 47.32

36.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$1.01 MUR 47.63

18.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.81 MUR 38.05

-17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.76 MUR 35.67

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.01 MUR 283

-22.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$8.42 MUR 396

109.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$0.92 MUR 43.42

102.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.44 MUR 67.8

129.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.80 MUR 37.44

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$4.43 MUR 208

-69.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$2.68 MUR 126

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$19.61 MUR 922

-58.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.47 MUR 69.0

-17.01%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$20.0K MUR 942.1K

6.53%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-22.01%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$44.11 MUR 2,073

60.21%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$10.88 MUR 511

29.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$32.30 MUR 1,518

-45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$30.09 MUR 1,414

40.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$8.92 MUR 419

-22.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.00 MUR 282

-1.33%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$124 MUR 5,841

148.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$3,957 MUR 186.0K

276.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$85.6 MUR 4,023

-34.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$79.6 MUR 3,739

-67.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$130 MUR 6,118

-36.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$95.3 MUR 4,478

-26.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$359 MUR 16.9K

20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$269 MUR 12.6K

-11.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$602 MUR 28.3K

36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$496 MUR 23.3K

3.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$1,162 MUR 54.6K

64.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$526 MUR 24.7K

10.19%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $359 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 10% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Quatre Bornes. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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

Quatre Bornes costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,300 in Quatre Bornes. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% cheaper in Quatre Bornes – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $866 in Quatre Bornes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $866 in Quatre Bornes. 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, Quatre Bornes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.