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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,594 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,193 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 35% lower, Terre Rouge 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.66 MUR 314

-70.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$43.97 MUR 2,070

-57.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.55 MUR 308

18.32%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.59 MUR 122

-25.87%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.04 MUR 48.84

-24.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.59 MUR 27.90

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.14 MUR 101

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.76 MUR 130

32.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.46 MUR 68.7

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.66 MUR 31.20

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.29 MUR 60.5

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.31 MUR 109

-13.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.96 MUR 469

60.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.08 MUR 286

-50.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.49 MUR 494

3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.07 MUR 97.4

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.90 MUR 89.3

-37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.49 MUR 70.0

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.73 MUR 129

-44.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.98 MUR 46.24

40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.94 MUR 44.07

26.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.85 MUR 39.88

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.57 MUR 26.83

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.98 MUR 282

-23.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.38 MUR 442

76.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.80 MUR 84.9

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.12 MUR 99.6

50.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.04 MUR 48.75

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.42 MUR 208

-69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.71 MUR 128

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.63 MUR 736

-49.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.44 MUR 68.0

-14.58%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-39.25%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-23.26%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$50.3 MUR 2,371

40.13%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.51 MUR 872

-26.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$32.06 MUR 1,510

-45.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.89 MUR 1,784

9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.88 MUR 277

-1.87%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$153 MUR 7,191

101.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,948 MUR 185.9K

270.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$51.3 MUR 2,415

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.34 MUR 2,041

-39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$83.4 MUR 3,927

2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$77.3 MUR 3,640

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$513 MUR 24.2K

-16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$347 MUR 16.3K

-31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$945 MUR 44.5K

-13.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$715 MUR 33.6K

-28.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $513 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $216 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,494 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 12% 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 $869, than in Terre Rouge at $996. 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 $869 versus $996 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.