Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Terre Rouge Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Terre Rouge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $983 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,613 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,243 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Terre Rouge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Terre Rouge are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Terre Rouge 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.61 MUR 309

-70.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.97 MUR 2,058

-57.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.65 MUR 311

19.10%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.54 MUR 119

-24.80%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.03 MUR 48.28

-18.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 MUR 26.29

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.09 MUR 98.0

5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.76 MUR 129

37.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.49 MUR 69.7

10.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.66 MUR 30.83

145.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.28 MUR 59.9

-7.81%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.24 MUR 105

-10.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.63 MUR 450

65.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.04 MUR 283

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.42 MUR 487

3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.98 MUR 92.5

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.90 MUR 88.8

-35.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.44 MUR 67.2

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.61 MUR 122

-39.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.01 MUR 47.48

30.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.99 MUR 46.44

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.81 MUR 37.79

-17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.53 MUR 24.67

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.00 MUR 281

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.96 MUR 419

103.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.80 MUR 84.3

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.15 MUR 101

50.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.04 MUR 48.59

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.32 MUR 202

-68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.72 MUR 127

-50.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$15.11 MUR 707

-45.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.46 MUR 68.1

-13.01%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-40.53%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-23.08%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$49.62 MUR 2,322

41.37%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.40 MUR 861

-25.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$32.79 MUR 1,534

-46.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.87 MUR 1,819

6.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.02 MUR 281

-3.99%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$151 MUR 7,073

102.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,961 MUR 185.3K

274.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$51.3 MUR 2,398

6.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$43.69 MUR 2,044

-40.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$83.2 MUR 3,891

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$79.6 MUR 3,725

-12.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$520 MUR 24.3K

-18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$346 MUR 16.2K

-31.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$939 MUR 43.9K

-12.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$730 MUR 34.1K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

-20.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $520 in Terre Rouge. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Terre Rouge. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Terre Rouge – so Terre Rouge 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 Terre Rouge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Terre Rouge costs about 15% 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 $1,475 in Terre Rouge. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $44.00 in Terre Rouge. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Terre Rouge – 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 Terre Rouge at $983. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Terre Rouge it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $983 in Terre Rouge. 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, Terre Rouge makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.