Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saint-Leu Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saint-Leu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,608 in Saint-Leu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,499 in Saint-Leu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,390 in Saint-Leu, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Saint-Leu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Saint-Leu is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$29.33 €25.04

-93.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$91.5 €78.1

-79.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.85 €2.43

-32.98%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$1.13 €0.96

-69.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$8.04 €6.86

-72.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$5.73 €4.89

-33.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.14 €0.97

43.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.25 €1.07

29.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$2.35 €2.01

-49.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$4.66 €3.98

-56.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$22.85 €19.52

-30.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$3.48 €2.97

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.72 €1.47

-29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.32 €1.98

-26.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$3.37 €2.88

-53.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.32 €1.98

-43.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.36 €2.02

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.90 €0.77

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$15.18 €12.96

-70.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$5.83 €4.98

212.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.71 €1.46

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$2.33 €1.99

-61.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$46.48 €39.69

-58.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.60 €1.37

-20.63%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$99.5 €85.0

-29.51%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$10.38 €8.86

32.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$35.17 €30.03

-49.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$34.31 €29.30

21.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$10.54 €9.00

-45.16%

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

$306 ฿9,953

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$1,136 €970

-62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$807 €689

-70.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$2,068 €1,766

-60.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$1,381 €1,179

-62.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$2,140 €1,828

-70.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Saint-Leu: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Saint-Leu. 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 237% higher in Saint-Leu, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $91 in Saint-Leu. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Saint-Leu – so Saint-Leu 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 Saint-Leu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Leu costs about 89% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,411 in Saint-Leu. 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.

Public transport costs about 140% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Saint-Leu – 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 $852, than in Saint-Leu at $1,608. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint-Leu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,608 in Saint-Leu. 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, Saint-Leu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.