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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,716 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,391 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% 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 36% lower, Trou aux Biches 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.66 MUR 312

-70.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$44.87 MUR 2,099

-58.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.26 MUR 340

9.09%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.08 MUR 50.7

76.85%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.86 MUR 40.11

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 MUR 26.02

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.15 MUR 100

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.33 MUR 156

14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.61 MUR 75.4

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.69 MUR 32.33

134.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.29 MUR 60.1

-8.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.32 MUR 109

-13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.71 MUR 548

35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.11 MUR 286

-50.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.57 MUR 588

-14.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.08 MUR 97.3

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.03 MUR 95.0

-39.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.45 MUR 67.8

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.74 MUR 128

-42.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 MUR 48.07

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.93 MUR 43.71

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.79 MUR 36.91

-15.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.76 MUR 35.44

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.51 MUR 304

-30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.35 MUR 391

117.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.71 MUR 80.2

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.23 MUR 104

44.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.04 MUR 48.53

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.47 MUR 209

-69.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.61 MUR 122

-48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.90 MUR 931

-58.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.45 MUR 67.8

-12.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

-39.77%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-22.15%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$49.83 MUR 2,331

40.78%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.23 MUR 853

-24.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.92 MUR 1,587

-48.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.47 MUR 1,800

8.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.19 MUR 290

-6.62%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$154 MUR 7,206

98.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,985 MUR 186.4K

272.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$85.8 MUR 4,013

-36.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$78.5 MUR 3,674

-66.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$131 MUR 6,120

-35.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$93.2 MUR 4,362

-25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$510 MUR 23.8K

-16.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$356 MUR 16.6K

-33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$947 MUR 44.3K

-12.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$723 MUR 33.8K

-28.75%

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 %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Trou aux Biches: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $510 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 $45.00 in Trou aux Biches. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $230 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 22% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,562 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 $45.00 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 6% 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 $852, than in Trou aux Biches at $1,042. 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 $852 versus $1,042 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.