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 $1,061 per month in Fond du Sac vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,749 per month in Fond du Sac vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,437 per month in Fond du Sac vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fond du Sac costs about 24% 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 20% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 MUR 312

$2.04 ฿68.2

225.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.96 MUR 2,059

$18.71 ฿624

134.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 MUR 328

$7.86 ฿262

-10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MUR 123

$2.03 ฿67.7

29.06%

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

$0.97 MUR 45.53

$0.80 ฿26.64

21.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.84

$0.35 ฿11.68

68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 MUR 101

$2.14 ฿71.5

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MUR 157

$3.67 ฿122

-8.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MUR 76.3

$1.73 ฿57.6

-5.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.99

$1.57 ฿52.4

-55.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.2

$1.20 ฿39.99

10.83%

Eggs

$2.26 MUR 106

$1.97 ฿65.8

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 MUR 559

$16.23 ฿541

-26.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 MUR 287

$3.06 ฿102

100.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 MUR 604

$10.80 ฿360

19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 92.0

$2.77 ฿92.3

-29.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 MUR 94.5

$1.17 ฿38.94

72.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 70.7

$1.71 ฿57.0

-11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 MUR 123

$1.59 ฿53.2

65.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.41

$1.39 ฿46.51

-25.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 47.66

$1.16 ฿38.56

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.53

$0.66 ฿22.05

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.38

$0.52 ฿17.31

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 MUR 312

$4.65 ฿155

43.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 MUR 405

$17.78 ฿593

-51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 80.9

$1.79 ฿59.6

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 MUR 101

$3.34 ฿111

-35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 48.98

$0.91 ฿30.27

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 MUR 201

$1.41 ฿47.04

203.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 MUR 128

$1.34 ฿44.70

104.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.13 MUR 943

$8.11 ฿270

148.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 65.2

$1.23 ฿41.16

13.01%

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

$35.0K MUR 1.6M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

63.43%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

32.27%

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

$49.26 MUR 2,307

$71.3 ฿2,379

-30.94%

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

$18.09 MUR 847

$14.01 ฿467

29.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.43 MUR 1,566

$17.93 ฿598

86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.32 MUR 1,795

$40.82 ฿1,362

-6.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 MUR 275

$5.72 ฿191

2.62%

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

$156 MUR 7,320

$308 ฿10.3K

-49.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,922 MUR 183.7K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-73.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.8 MUR 3,973

$55.8 ฿1,860

52.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.2 MUR 3,805

$26.04 ฿869

211.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,106

$84.8 ฿2,829

53.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 MUR 4,442

$71.0 ฿2,368

33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MUR 23.8K

$423 ฿14.1K

20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MUR 16.8K

$242 ฿8,088

47.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 MUR 45.0K

$797 ฿26.6K

20.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MUR 33.2K

$507 ฿16.9K

39.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Fond du Sac 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.

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 $244 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 24% 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 $1,591 per month in Fond du Sac and $1,279 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 5% 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 $852, than in Fond du Sac at $1,061. 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 $852 versus $1,061 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.