Cost of Living Comparison Between Curepipe and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Curepipe and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Curepipe vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Curepipe vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,020 per month in Curepipe vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Curepipe costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Curepipe and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Curepipe 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 MUR 155

$1.94 ฿63.5

68.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.43 MUR 2,052

$18.64 ฿609

132.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MUR 217

$7.82 ฿255

-41.30%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 122

$1.95 ฿63.8

32.31%

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

$1.01 MUR 47.64

$0.85 ฿27.77

18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.77

$0.35 ฿11.58

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MUR 84.5

$2.13 ฿69.6

-15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MUR 131

$3.73 ฿122

-25.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MUR 63.6

$1.71 ฿56.0

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.37

$1.63 ฿53.2

-59.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.4

$1.14 ฿37.15

15.79%

Eggs

$2.35 MUR 111

$1.93 ฿63.1

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 MUR 367

$16.21 ฿530

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 MUR 289

$3.12 ฿102

95.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 MUR 400

$10.90 ฿356

-22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 MUR 96.0

$2.75 ฿90.0

-26.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 MUR 87.3

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.4

$1.62 ฿53.0

-10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 128

$1.59 ฿51.8

70.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MUR 43.29

$1.40 ฿45.70

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.21

$1.17 ฿38.17

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.63

$0.66 ฿21.60

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MUR 25.25

$0.53 ฿17.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 MUR 288

$4.69 ฿153

30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.20 MUR 340

$18.66 ฿609

-61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MUR 78.3

$1.80 ฿58.8

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 MUR 97.8

$3.23 ฿106

-35.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 MUR 43.12

$0.90 ฿29.26

1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.45 MUR 1,722

$19.21 ฿628

89.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MUR 154

$1.41 ฿45.91

131.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 129

$1.29 ฿42.12

110.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 MUR 206

$7.84 ฿256

-44.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MUR 69.4

$1.27 ฿41.58

15.75%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

36.88%

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

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

27.53%

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

$49.09 MUR 2,319

$69.1 ฿2,256

-28.93%

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

$18.63 MUR 880

$14.08 ฿460

32.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.08 MUR 1,469

$18.00 ฿588

72.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.44 MUR 824

$41.06 ฿1,341

-57.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.17 MUR 103

$6.96 ฿227

-68.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 MUR 294

$5.92 ฿193

5.07%

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

$152 MUR 7,182

$299 ฿9,766

-49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,135 MUR 148.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-79.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.67 MUR 1,922

$54.7 ฿1,787

-25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.19 MUR 1,568

$26.77 ฿874

23.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MUR 3,514

$85.0 ฿2,776

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 MUR 3,434

$70.6 ฿2,306

2.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MUR 23.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MUR 17.1K

$237 ฿7,752

52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 MUR 48.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 MUR 31.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

29.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$748 MUR 35.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-62.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$635 MUR 30.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-56.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$880 MUR 41.6K

$617 ฿20.2K

42.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.00%

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

Last update for Curepipe: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Curepipe versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Curepipe, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Curepipe versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Curepipe vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Curepipe 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

Curepipe vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curepipe costs about 7% 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 $1,387 per month in Curepipe and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. 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.

Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Curepipe and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Curepipe – 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 $866, than in Curepipe at $925. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Curepipe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $925 in Curepipe. 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, Curepipe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.