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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,288 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,767 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Quatre Bornes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Quatre Bornes 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.41 MUR 208

-52.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$21.25 MUR 1,001

-7.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.44 MUR 303

-11.96%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.39 MUR 113

-24.27%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.88 MUR 41.28

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.49 MUR 23.01

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.69 MUR 127

-17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.30 MUR 156

14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.31 MUR 61.5

56.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.50 MUR 23.69

202.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.15 MUR 54.0

21.74%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.94 MUR 91.6

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$2.91 MUR 137

456.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.80 MUR 179

-23.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.47 MUR 399

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.74 MUR 129

-2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.60 MUR 122

-58.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.44 MUR 67.9

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$3.00 MUR 142

-51.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.94 MUR 44.14

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.94 MUR 44.22

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.70 MUR 33.20

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.90 MUR 42.32

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.10 MUR 287

-30.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$8.51 MUR 401

114.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.63 MUR 76.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.26 MUR 107

28.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.73 MUR 34.29

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$4.35 MUR 205

-73.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$3.24 MUR 153

-82.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$20.85 MUR 983

-88.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.33 MUR 62.7

9.02%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$19.1K MUR 899.8K

10.06%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$28.1K MUR 1.3M

-5.87%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$31.75 MUR 1,497

100.47%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.51 MUR 495

22.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$29.29 MUR 1,380

-29.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$28.84 MUR 1,359

35.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$8.27 MUR 390

-52.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.20 MUR 292

6.13%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$121 MUR 5,692

549.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,798 MUR 367.5K

88.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$77.4 MUR 3,649

-28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$73.9 MUR 3,481

-66.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$119 MUR 5,606

-20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$76.7 MUR 3,614

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$324 MUR 15.3K

51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$222 MUR 10.5K

29.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$655 MUR 30.9K

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$440 MUR 20.8K

18.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,128 MUR 53.1K

75.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$513 MUR 24.2K

17.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $324 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 17% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Quatre Bornes. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $182 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 15% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,214 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $21.00 in Quatre Bornes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quatre Bornes, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Quatre Bornes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quatre Bornes costs $809 versus $932 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.