Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vieux Fort Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vieux Fort

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,034 in Vieux Fort, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,757 in Vieux Fort, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,480 in Vieux Fort, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Vieux Fort, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Vieux Fort are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Vieux Fort 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.66 EC$23.38

-77.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$93.9 EC$253

-80.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.63 EC$20.59

2.49%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.57 EC$6.95

-24.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.23 EC$3.31

-71.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.81 EC$4.88

17.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.61 EC$7.06

42.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.20 EC$3.24

35.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.49 EC$6.71

-54.22%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.39 EC$9.16

-43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.47 EC$20.18

117.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$12.12 EC$32.73

-74.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$21.63 EC$58.4

-49.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$6.63 EC$17.90

-58.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$3.33 EC$9.00

-63.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.91 EC$13.26

-67.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$8.33 EC$22.50

-80.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$6.40 EC$17.28

-78.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$3.29 EC$8.88

-64.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.80 EC$4.87

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.95 EC$2.56

-44.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.54 EC$20.36

-37.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.12 EC$8.42

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.01 EC$8.12

7.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.49 EC$4.03

-39.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$14.08 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$54.9 EC$148

-25.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$36.34 EC$98.1

-80.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$10.26 EC$27.70

-42.30%

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$55.4 EC$150

-1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$110 EC$296

-22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$72.4 EC$196

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$561 EC$1,516

-23.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$351 EC$948

-32.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,112 EC$3,001

-27.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$442 EC$1,194

16.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vieux Fort: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $561 in Vieux Fort. 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 $94.0 in Vieux Fort. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $364 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Vieux Fort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vieux Fort costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,551 in Vieux Fort. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,034 in Vieux Fort. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Vieux Fort, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Vieux Fort at $1,034. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vieux Fort it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,034 in Vieux Fort. 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, Vieux Fort makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.