Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fontainebleau and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,127 in Fontainebleau, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Fontainebleau despite lower rent and utilities.

Fontainebleau
🇫🇷 France
$1,127
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fontainebleau and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fontainebleau and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Fontainebleau vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Fontainebleau $1,127
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $2,529 per month in Fontainebleau vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Fontainebleau $2,529
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Fontainebleau vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Fontainebleau $3,931
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Fontainebleau costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fontainebleau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fontainebleau 17% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.64
$2.26 ฿75.4
677.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.3 €59.0
$19.18 ฿641
245.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.29 €11.82
$5.59 ฿187
137.75%
Cappuccino
$3.85 €3.42
$1.72 ฿57.6
123.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 €2.79
$0.64 ฿21.54
389.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.47
$0.33 ฿11.18
400.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.04 €7.15
$2.36 ฿78.7
240.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 €5.01
$3.90 ฿130
44.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.17
$2.05 ฿68.6
-35.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.40 ฿46.70
40.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.28 ฿42.89
118.75%
Eggs
$4.03 €3.58
$2.25 ฿75.3
79.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.50 €19.12
$16.94 ฿566
26.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.19 €10.84
$2.74 ฿91.6
344.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.50 €20.90
$9.36 ฿313
151.07%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 €2.96
$2.40 ฿80.3
38.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.01 ฿33.92
108.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 €2.11
$1.61 ฿53.9
47.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 €2.82
$1.52 ฿50.7
108.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.28 ฿42.90
50.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$1.11 ฿37.22
85.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.36
$0.72 ฿24.09
111.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 €0.61
$0.52 ฿17.54
30.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.91 €12.37
$4.33 ฿145
221.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.74 €6.89
$17.73 ฿593
-56.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.13
$1.63 ฿54.4
47.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 €3.80
$2.85 ฿95.3
49.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.85 ฿28.31
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.9 ฿1,801
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.17 ฿39.18
94.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 €1.85
$0.57 ฿19.00
266.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.36 €21.67
$2.37 ฿79.2
927.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 €1.97
$1.45 ฿48.32
52.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.2K
$20.5K ฿684.3K
65.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2K €30.4K
$26.5K ฿886.1K
29.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 €184
$62.3 ฿2,083
231.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.25 €13.57
$12.27 ฿410
24.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.23 €27.78
$19.97 ฿668
56.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.61 €20.11
$37.91 ฿1,267
-40.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.32 €11.85
$3.76 ฿126
254.26%
Cinema Ticket
$10.52 €9.36
$6.71 ฿224
56.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 €563
$797 ฿26.6K
-20.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,147 €7,247
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-45.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.1
$53.3 ฿1,780
64.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.29 €35.83
$25.05 ฿837
60.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €89.7
$91.6 ฿3,062
10.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 €92.4
$73.5 ฿2,455
41.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$936 €833
$464 ฿15.5K
101.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$305 ฿10.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,670 €1,485
$915 ฿30.6K
82.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,405 €1,250
$552 ฿18.5K
154.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fontainebleau
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,045 €2,709
$595 ฿19.9K
411.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
5.57
-37.16%

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

Last update for Fontainebleau: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
$371
Chiang Mai
$238 35.8% $133
Eating Out
Fontainebleau
$297
Chiang Mai
$79 73.4% $218
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
$253
Chiang Mai
$95 62.6% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
$150
Chiang Mai
$110 26.9% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
$44
Chiang Mai
$51 17.6% $7.7
Getting Around
Fontainebleau
$13 *
Chiang Mai
$61 383% $49
Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
- *
Chiang Mai
$305

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Fontainebleau versus $464 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 412% higher in Fontainebleau, 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 $66.0 in Fontainebleau versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Fontainebleau
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
20:32 8:32 PM
01:32 1:32 AM
5 h ahead of Fontainebleau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,945
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fontainebleau Chiang Mai 8,910 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fontainebleau
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Fontainebleau vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fontainebleau or Chiang Mai?
Fontainebleau costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 Fontainebleau and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,691 per month in Fontainebleau and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Fontainebleau 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 Fontainebleau and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Fontainebleau 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 Fontainebleau or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 56% more in Fontainebleau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Fontainebleau or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Fontainebleau at $1,127. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fontainebleau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fontainebleau or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,127 in Fontainebleau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Fontainebleau 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 Fontainebleau or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fontainebleau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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