Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Bay and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Bay and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Grand Bay vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,277 per month in Grand Bay vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,391 per month in Grand Bay vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Grand Bay costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Grand Bay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Grand Bay 13% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.11 MUR 383

$1.94 ฿63.5

318.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MUR 2,376

$18.64 ฿609

169.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 MUR 304

$7.82 ฿255

-17.65%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MUR 120

$1.95 ฿63.8

30.26%

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

$0.96 MUR 45.13

$0.85 ฿27.77

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.90

$0.35 ฿11.58

62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 MUR 160

$2.13 ฿69.6

58.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MUR 159

$3.73 ฿122

-9.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MUR 62.6

$1.71 ฿56.0

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MUR 31.53

$1.63 ฿53.2

-58.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.5

$1.14 ฿37.15

12.28%

Eggs

$2.31 MUR 109

$1.93 ฿63.1

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.34 MUR 1,575

$16.21 ฿530

105.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 MUR 286

$3.12 ฿102

93.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.92 MUR 1,036

$10.90 ฿356

101.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 MUR 81.2

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 92.7

$1.21 ฿39.52

61.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.9

$1.62 ฿53.0

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 130

$1.59 ฿51.8

73.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.72

$1.40 ฿45.70

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 44.17

$1.17 ฿38.17

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.57

$0.66 ฿21.60

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MUR 21.97

$0.53 ฿17.22

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 MUR 308

$4.69 ฿153

38.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 MUR 396

$18.66 ฿609

-55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 80.8

$1.80 ฿58.8

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MUR 75.9

$3.23 ฿106

-50.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 49.06

$0.90 ฿29.26

15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 MUR 203

$1.41 ฿45.91

204.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 MUR 125

$1.29 ฿42.12

104.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 MUR 932

$7.84 ฿256

151.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 66.3

$1.27 ฿41.58

10.24%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

67.61%

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

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

31.52%

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

$49.27 MUR 2,328

$69.1 ฿2,256

-28.67%

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

$15.34 MUR 725

$14.08 ฿460

8.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 MUR 1,467

$18.00 ฿588

72.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 MUR 2,867

$41.06 ฿1,341

47.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MUR 280

$5.92 ฿193

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

$152 MUR 7,201

$299 ฿9,766

-49.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,065 MUR 381.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-46.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 MUR 2,642

$54.7 ฿1,787

2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.3 MUR 3,702

$26.77 ฿874

192.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MUR 5,623

$85.0 ฿2,776

40.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MUR 3,987

$70.6 ฿2,306

19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 MUR 29.2K

$428 ฿14.0K

44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 MUR 16.8K

$237 ฿7,752

49.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 MUR 62.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 MUR 72.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

198.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,296 MUR 61.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

109.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Grand Bay: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Grand Bay versus $428 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 110% higher in Grand Bay, 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 Grand Bay versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Grand Bay vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand Bay costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,743 per month in Grand Bay and $1,300 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 $50.0 in Grand Bay and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Grand Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Grand Bay at $1,162. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grand Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,162 in Grand Bay. 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, Grand Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.