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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $783 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,274 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,765 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Saint-Louis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Saint-Louis 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.48 F CFA 1,996

-43.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

-65.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$10.20 F CFA 5,848

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.59 F CFA 2,633

-55.99%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.92 F CFA 529

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.06 F CFA 606

-66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.47 F CFA 2,565

-19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.64 F CFA 1,513

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.27 F CFA 156

481.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.60 F CFA 917

-25.63%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.71 F CFA 1,554

-28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$12.92 F CFA 7,409

25.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.08 F CFA 5,209

-67.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.94 F CFA 6,272

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.74 F CFA 1,571

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.90 F CFA 1,090

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.60 F CFA 1,492

-35.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.08 F CFA 1,193

-23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.49 F CFA 857

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.35 F CFA 773

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.02 F CFA 587

-34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.68 F CFA 390

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.55 F CFA 887

199.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$17.11 F CFA 9,816

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.19 F CFA 684

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.33 F CFA 1,337

41.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.92 F CFA 527

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.85 F CFA 1,633

-52.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

-53.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

-32.22%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$36.0K F CFA 20.6M

-40.69%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$50.3K F CFA 28.8M

-55.19%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$140 F CFA 80.0K

-49.36%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.72 F CFA 5,576

44.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

-65.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.06 F CFA 5,194

-34.66%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$267 F CFA 152.9K

15.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

105.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

-17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

-40.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$103 F CFA 59.0K

-19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$128 F CFA 73.6K

-45.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$443 F CFA 254.0K

-2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

-39.39%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $443 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $273 – 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 10% more than Saint-Louis, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,174 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $53.0 in Saint-Louis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $783, than in Chiang Mai at $861. 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 $783 versus $861 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.