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 $1,083 per month in Fond du Sac vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Fond du Sac vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Fond du Sac vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fond du Sac costs about 27% 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 19% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 MUR 315

$1.96 ฿63.6

243.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.54 MUR 2,035

$18.81 ฿611

131.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 MUR 336

$7.92 ฿258

-9.22%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MUR 125

$1.91 ฿62.2

40.31%

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

$1.01 MUR 47.45

$0.84 ฿27.25

20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MUR 25.93

$0.35 ฿11.44

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MUR 104

$2.21 ฿71.7

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 MUR 156

$3.80 ฿124

-12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MUR 78.6

$1.64 ฿53.2

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MUR 30.26

$1.62 ฿52.8

-59.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.0

$1.18 ฿38.40

6.78%

Eggs

$2.32 MUR 108

$2.01 ฿65.4

15.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MUR 558

$15.89 ฿517

-24.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 MUR 282

$3.01 ฿98.0

100.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 MUR 587

$10.77 ฿350

16.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 97.3

$2.61 ฿85.0

-20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 91.8

$1.22 ฿39.65

60.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.5

$1.70 ฿55.4

-15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MUR 129

$1.58 ฿51.2

74.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 47.78

$1.32 ฿42.89

-22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.62

$1.17 ฿38.01

-18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.29

$0.67 ฿21.85

25.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MUR 34.72

$0.56 ฿18.21

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 MUR 300

$4.53 ฿147

41.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 MUR 409

$18.20 ฿592

-51.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 80.3

$1.83 ฿59.6

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MUR 105

$3.23 ฿105

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 48.39

$0.89 ฿28.83

16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MUR 201

$1.35 ฿43.95

217.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 MUR 126

$1.35 ฿43.79

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 MUR 922

$8.25 ฿268

139.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$1.27 ฿41.40

14.96%

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

$36.4K MUR 1.7M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

72.00%

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

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

27.68%

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

$48.90 MUR 2,286

$70.2 ฿2,281

-30.29%

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

$18.06 MUR 844

$13.77 ฿448

31.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 MUR 1,588

$17.60 ฿572

93.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.44 MUR 1,797

$41.57 ฿1,352

-7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 MUR 278

$5.78 ฿188

2.94%

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

$152 MUR 7,092

$306 ฿9,953

-50.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,898 MUR 182.2K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-73.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 MUR 4,012

$54.4 ฿1,768

57.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.8 MUR 3,777

$26.14 ฿850

209.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 MUR 6,257

$84.5 ฿2,748

58.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 MUR 4,451

$69.4 ฿2,257

37.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.1K

$424 ฿13.8K

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 MUR 16.5K

$238 ฿7,743

48.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 MUR 44.8K

$825 ฿26.8K

16.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 MUR 33.3K

$515 ฿16.7K

38.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Fond du Sac versus $424 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 – $231 in Fond du Sac vs $243 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 27% 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 $1,625 per month in Fond du Sac and $1,278 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 $1,083. 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 $1,083 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.