Cost of Living Comparison Between Fond du Sac and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Fond du Sac and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Fond du Sac vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Fond du Sac vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,397 per month in Fond du Sac vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fond du Sac costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Fond du Sac and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fond du Sac 21% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 MUR 310

$1.98 ฿64.3

232.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 MUR 2,062

$18.80 ฿612

132.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 MUR 328

$7.75 ฿252

-9.94%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MUR 124

$1.92 ฿62.5

37.50%

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

$1.02 MUR 48.04

$0.79 ฿25.79

29.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.31

$0.36 ฿11.62

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 MUR 106

$2.21 ฿72.1

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MUR 159

$3.66 ฿119

-7.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MUR 76.2

$1.65 ฿53.8

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MUR 30.74

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.1

$1.19 ฿38.86

7.56%

Eggs

$2.33 MUR 110

$2.00 ฿65.1

16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 MUR 567

$15.98 ฿520

-24.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 MUR 294

$3.03 ฿98.5

105.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MUR 606

$10.86 ฿354

18.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.5

$2.76 ฿90.0

-27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 MUR 95.3

$1.18 ฿38.42

71.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.7

$1.64 ฿53.5

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 124

$1.52 ฿49.51

73.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.50

$1.38 ฿45.10

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.81

$1.19 ฿38.84

-16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 37.11

$0.70 ฿22.86

12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 38.32

$0.56 ฿18.13

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 MUR 305

$4.58 ฿149

41.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 MUR 388

$16.56 ฿539

-50.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 81.4

$1.83 ฿59.5

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MUR 102

$3.20 ฿104

-32.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MUR 46.59

$0.88 ฿28.56

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MUR 212

$1.36 ฿44.16

231.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 MUR 128

$1.34 ฿43.65

102.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.60 MUR 923

$7.84 ฿256

150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 68.2

$1.23 ฿39.92

17.89%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

63.11%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

28.11%

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

$49.87 MUR 2,348

$70.5 ฿2,298

-29.30%

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

$18.53 MUR 872

$13.68 ฿445

35.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 MUR 1,596

$17.45 ฿568

94.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 MUR 1,814

$41.33 ฿1,346

-6.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 MUR 283

$5.77 ฿188

4.16%

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

$153 MUR 7,206

$307 ฿10.0K

-50.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,977 MUR 187.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-72.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 MUR 4,073

$55.8 ฿1,817

55.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.5 MUR 3,791

$26.21 ฿854

207.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,148

$85.8 ฿2,793

52.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 MUR 4,541

$72.2 ฿2,353

33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MUR 23.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 MUR 16.8K

$239 ฿7,774

49.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MUR 45.0K

$817 ฿26.6K

16.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 MUR 33.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

39.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Fond du Sac: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Fond du Sac versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Fond du Sac versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Fond du Sac vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Fond du Sac 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

Fond du Sac vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fond du Sac costs about 23% 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 $1,597 per month in Fond du Sac and $1,303 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Fond du Sac and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Fond du Sac – 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 $869, than in Fond du Sac at $1,065. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fond du Sac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,065 in Fond du Sac. 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, Fond du Sac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.