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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,045 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,724 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,402 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% 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 35% lower, Trou aux Biches 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.51 MUR 307

-69.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$43.33 MUR 2,041

-56.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.94 MUR 327

11.67%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.11 MUR 52.3

72.97%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.85 MUR 40.17

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.60 MUR 28.30

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.22 MUR 104

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.26 MUR 154

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.63 MUR 76.7

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.69 MUR 32.64

136.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.27 MUR 59.9

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.24 MUR 105

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.11 MUR 570

31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.11 MUR 288

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.85 MUR 605

-15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.05 MUR 96.6

34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.93 MUR 90.9

-38.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.50 MUR 70.6

9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.75 MUR 129

-44.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.02 MUR 48.13

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.96 MUR 45.13

23.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.85 MUR 40.08

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.79 MUR 37.42

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.69 MUR 315

-31.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.48 MUR 399

95.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.73 MUR 81.6

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.22 MUR 104

44.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.00 MUR 47.29

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.33 MUR 204

-68.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.69 MUR 126

-50.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.96 MUR 940

-60.72%

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

$35.1K MUR 1.7M

-38.40%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-20.97%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.03 MUR 2,309

43.87%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.12 MUR 853

-24.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.28 MUR 1,567

-47.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$38.82 MUR 1,828

6.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.93 MUR 279

-2.70%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$155 MUR 7,318

97.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,941 MUR 185.6K

270.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$86.5 MUR 4,073

-35.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$78.6 MUR 3,700

-66.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$132 MUR 6,222

-35.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$95.3 MUR 4,490

-24.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$518 MUR 24.4K

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$351 MUR 16.5K

-31.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$956 MUR 45.0K

-14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$734 MUR 34.6K

-30.46%

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 %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Trou aux Biches: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $518 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Trou aux Biches. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $232 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 20% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,568 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 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 4% 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 $869, than in Trou aux Biches at $1,045. 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 $869 versus $1,045 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.