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 $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,205 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,783 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,362 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% 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 32% lower, Trou aux Biches 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$5.85 MUR 277

-63.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿653

$37.99 MUR 1,800

-48.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$7.54 MUR 357

-27.45%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.7

$1.04 MUR 49.07

61.54%

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

$0.66 ฿22.22

$0.85 MUR 40.36

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.58

$0.65 MUR 30.58

-47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

$2.05 MUR 97.3

18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿126

$3.09 MUR 147

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.3

$1.60 MUR 75.9

28.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.06

$0.78 MUR 36.77

87.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.34

$1.14 MUR 54.2

18.42%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.4

$2.53 MUR 120

-10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿549

$5.29 MUR 251

208.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.8

$6.42 MUR 304

-57.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿310

$11.05 MUR 524

-16.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.6

$2.71 MUR 128

-11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.85

$2.65 MUR 126

-60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.42 MUR 67.3

12.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.64

$3.00 MUR 142

-52.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.84

$0.99 MUR 46.76

31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.50

$0.94 MUR 44.67

18.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.69

$0.69 MUR 32.75

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.09

$0.90 MUR 42.62

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$6.52 MUR 309

-36.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿599

$8.46 MUR 401

110.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿55.0

$1.64 MUR 77.6

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.6

$2.36 MUR 112

21.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.05

$4.27 MUR 203

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.92

$3.20 MUR 152

-82.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.9

$20.81 MUR 986

-88.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.31 MUR 62.3

14.50%

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

$20.9K ฿702.3K

$36.5K MUR 1.7M

-42.86%

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

$26.7K ฿900.1K

$31.3K MUR 1.5M

-14.58%

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

$61.3 ฿2,063

$44.69 MUR 2,118

37.08%

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

$12.50 ฿421

$10.34 MUR 490

20.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿686

$28.95 MUR 1,372

-29.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,277

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$6.17 MUR 293

6.97%

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

$774 ฿26.1K

$126 MUR 5,979

513.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿486.0K

$7,775 MUR 368.4K

85.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,845

$77.0 MUR 3,646

-28.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿851

$75.2 MUR 3,564

-66.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,049

$121 MUR 5,710

-24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,467

$77.9 MUR 3,691

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$749 MUR 35.5K

-38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,891

$628 MUR 29.8K

-53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$1,177 MUR 55.8K

-21.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

$949 MUR 44.9K

-41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Trou aux Biches: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $749 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 $38.00 in Trou aux Biches. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $218 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 33% 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,807 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 $38.00 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 $906, than in Trou aux Biches at $1,205. 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 $906 versus $1,205 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.