Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Trou aux Biches Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Trou aux Biches

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,035 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,692 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,349 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Trou aux Biches, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Trou aux Biches are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Trou aux Biches 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$6.47 MUR 301

-67.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$38.88 MUR 1,808

-49.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.39 MUR 344

-20.84%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.09 MUR 50.6

61.47%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.88 MUR 40.70

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.55 MUR 25.54

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.10 MUR 97.9

17.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$3.25 MUR 151

19.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.57 MUR 72.9

21.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.77 MUR 36.02

116.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.12 MUR 52.2

20.54%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.69 MUR 125

-20.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$5.43 MUR 252

192.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$6.29 MUR 292

-55.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$11.24 MUR 522

-6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.79 MUR 130

-14.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.60 MUR 121

-58.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.47 MUR 68.1

3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$2.99 MUR 139

-49.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.00 MUR 46.42

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.02 MUR 47.25

7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.69 MUR 31.92

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.90 MUR 42.06

-45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.38 MUR 297

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$8.65 MUR 402

93.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.71 MUR 79.5

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.37 MUR 110

18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$4.16 MUR 193

-71.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$3.22 MUR 150

-83.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$21.08 MUR 980

-88.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.40 MUR 65.1

2.14%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$36.5K MUR 1.7M

-42.26%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$30.7K MUR 1.4M

-11.50%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$44.94 MUR 2,089

44.06%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$10.44 MUR 486

26.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$29.54 MUR 1,373

-34.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$32.43 MUR 1,508

21.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$6.56 MUR 305

0.91%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$127 MUR 5,900

534.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$7,593 MUR 353.0K

99.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$79.5 MUR 3,694

-31.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$73.8 MUR 3,430

-65.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$120 MUR 5,563

-23.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$76.6 MUR 3,561

-2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$571 MUR 26.5K

-18.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$405 MUR 18.8K

-30.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$1,134 MUR 52.7K

-21.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$853 MUR 39.7K

-38.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Trou aux Biches: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $571 in Trou aux Biches. 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 $39.00 in Trou aux Biches. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Trou aux Biches – so Trou aux Biches 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 Trou aux Biches: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trou aux Biches costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,552 in Trou aux Biches. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $39.00 in Trou aux Biches. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Trou aux Biches – 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 $920, than in Trou aux Biches at $1,035. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trou aux Biches it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,035 in Trou aux Biches. 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, Trou aux Biches makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.