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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $876 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,385 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,895 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Saint-Louis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Saint-Louis 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$3.48 F CFA 1,962

-40.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$55.7 F CFA 31.4K

-64.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$11.74 F CFA 6,615

-51.87%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$3.44 F CFA 1,940

-47.38%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.25 F CFA 704

-43.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.87 F CFA 493

-63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.83 F CFA 1,033

22.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.40 F CFA 2,478

-17.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.78 F CFA 1,568

-29.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.28 F CFA 158

435.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.74 F CFA 978

-22.99%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.60 F CFA 1,465

-13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$17.34 F CFA 9,775

-6.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$9.58 F CFA 5,397

-69.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$11.41 F CFA 6,432

-12.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.26 F CFA 1,835

-21.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.91 F CFA 1,078

-44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.99 F CFA 1,684

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.38 F CFA 778

-7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.05 F CFA 592

1.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.19 F CFA 670

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.73 F CFA 413

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.28 F CFA 1,284

83.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$17.65 F CFA 9,947

1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.61 F CFA 905

4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$3.40 F CFA 1,918

-16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.93 F CFA 526

32.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.18 F CFA 1,226

-73.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$17.55 F CFA 9,891

-86.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.68 F CFA 945

-16.07%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$52.0K F CFA 29.3M

-58.72%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$50.4K F CFA 28.4M

-45.82%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$209 F CFA 117.6K

-69.50%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$11.91 F CFA 6,712

7.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$48.07 F CFA 27.1K

-57.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$8.99 F CFA 5,066

-25.03%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$316 F CFA 178.2K

146.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

35.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$60.4 F CFA 34.0K

-10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$48.08 F CFA 27.1K

-47.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$88.9 F CFA 50.1K

6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$101 F CFA 56.7K

-26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$450 F CFA 253.5K

8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.75

-36.34%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $450 in Saint-Louis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $56.0 in Saint-Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $301 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Saint-Louis, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,313 in Saint-Louis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Louis, 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 $56.0 in Saint-Louis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Chiang Mai – 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 Saint-Louis, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Saint-Louis 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. Saint-Louis costs $876 versus $947 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 Saint-Louis. 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.