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 $963 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,599 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,235 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.52 MUR 305

-68.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$43.42 MUR 2,034

-56.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.53 MUR 306

20.37%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.60 MUR 122

-21.92%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.95 MUR 44.35

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.55 MUR 25.92

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.07 MUR 97.1

3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.80 MUR 131

31.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.49 MUR 70.0

16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.65 MUR 30.50

141.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.29 MUR 60.2

-6.98%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.36 MUR 110

-16.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.67 MUR 453

67.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.24 MUR 292

-50.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.51 MUR 492

2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.96 MUR 92.0

41.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.00 MUR 93.8

-41.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.44 MUR 67.2

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.70 MUR 126

-41.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.02 MUR 47.91

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.95 MUR 44.43

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.83 MUR 39.01

-20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.53 MUR 24.77

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.15 MUR 288

-24.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.37 MUR 392

112.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.72 MUR 80.4

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.11 MUR 98.9

58.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.00 MUR 46.70

-9.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.28 MUR 201

-67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.69 MUR 126

-50.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$15.24 MUR 714

-46.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.46 MUR 68.6

-15.75%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-40.49%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-23.32%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$48.79 MUR 2,285

46.20%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.53 MUR 868

-24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$32.11 MUR 1,504

-44.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$38.47 MUR 1,802

6.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.02 MUR 282

-4.98%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$154 MUR 7,193

100.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,941 MUR 184.6K

272.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$49.76 MUR 2,331

12.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.60 MUR 2,089

-41.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$82.0 MUR 3,841

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$78.6 MUR 3,679

-9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$508 MUR 23.8K

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$358 MUR 16.8K

-32.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$964 MUR 45.1K

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$734 MUR 34.4K

-31.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $508 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 $43.00 in Terre Rouge. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $213 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 13% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,444 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 $43.00 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 $963. 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 $963 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.