Cost of Living Comparison Between Flic en Flac and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Flic en Flac and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Flic en Flac vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,774 per month in Flic en Flac vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,391 per month in Flic en Flac vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Flic en Flac costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Flic en Flac and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Flic en Flac 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.63 MUR 311
$2.04 ฿68.2
225.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.3 MUR 2,356
$18.71 ฿624
168.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.31 MUR 342
$7.86 ฿262
-7.00%
Cappuccino
$2.55 MUR 120
$2.03 ฿67.7
25.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MUR 44.21
$0.80 ฿26.64
17.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 MUR 27.66
$0.35 ฿11.68
68.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.32 MUR 202
$2.14 ฿71.5
101.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 MUR 158
$3.67 ฿122
-7.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MUR 67.0
$1.73 ฿57.6
-17.34%
White Bread (500g)
$0.65 MUR 30.32
$1.57 ฿52.4
-58.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 MUR 60.4
$1.20 ฿39.99
7.50%
Eggs
$2.11 MUR 98.8
$1.97 ฿65.8
7.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.13 MUR 521
$16.23 ฿541
-31.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.05 MUR 284
$3.06 ฿102
97.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.51 MUR 586
$10.80 ฿360
15.83%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 MUR 92.4
$2.77 ฿92.3
-28.88%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 MUR 94.0
$1.17 ฿38.94
71.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 MUR 69.7
$1.71 ฿57.0
-12.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.76 MUR 129
$1.59 ฿53.2
73.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 MUR 48.65
$1.39 ฿46.51
-25.18%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 MUR 46.21
$1.16 ฿38.56
-14.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 MUR 39.96
$0.66 ฿22.05
28.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 MUR 22.05
$0.52 ฿17.31
-9.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.66 MUR 265
$4.65 ฿155
21.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.61 MUR 404
$17.78 ฿593
-51.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 MUR 84.7
$1.79 ฿59.6
1.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MUR 65.6
$3.34 ฿111
-58.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 MUR 39.84
$0.91 ฿30.27
-6.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.64 ฿622
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.42 MUR 207
$1.41 ฿47.04
213.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.73 MUR 128
$1.34 ฿44.70
103.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.13 MUR 521
$8.11 ฿270
37.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 MUR 65.6
$1.23 ฿41.16
13.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K MUR 1.6M
$21.4K ฿715.1K
63.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K MUR 1.4M
$21.8K ฿728.0K
34.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$49.01 MUR 2,296
$71.3 ฿2,379
-31.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.16 MUR 851
$14.01 ฿467
29.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.60 MUR 1,574
$17.93 ฿598
87.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.78 MUR 2,191
$40.82 ฿1,362
14.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.88 ฿230
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.91 MUR 277
$5.72 ฿191
3.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$111 MUR 5,197
$308 ฿10.3K
-64.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,671 MUR 125.1K
$14.7K ฿489.7K
-81.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.47 MUR 1,521
$55.8 ฿1,860
-41.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.75 MUR 1,534
$26.04 ฿869
25.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 MUR 5,121
$84.8 ฿2,829
28.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.9 MUR 4,397
$71.0 ฿2,368
32.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$593 MUR 27.8K
$423 ฿14.1K
40.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$512 MUR 24.0K
$242 ฿8,088
111.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$964 MUR 45.1K
$797 ฿26.6K
20.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$757 MUR 35.5K
$507 ฿16.9K
49.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,918 ฿64.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,464 ฿48.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Flic en Flac
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MUR 31.7K
$595 ฿19.9K
13.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
5
20.00%

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

Last update for Flic en Flac: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $593 in Flic en Flac versus $423 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 14% higher in Flic en Flac, 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 $50.0 in Flic en Flac versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Flic en Flac vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Flic en Flac 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
Flic en Flac vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Flic en Flac or Chiang Mai?
Flic en Flac costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Flic en Flac and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,735 per month in Flic en Flac and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Flic en Flac or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Flic en Flac and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Flic en Flac and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Flic en Flac or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Flic en Flac – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Flic en Flac or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Flic en Flac at $1,157. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Flic en Flac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Flic en Flac or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,157 in Flic en Flac. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Flic en Flac compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Flic en Flac or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Flic en Flac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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