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 $1,188 per month in Grand Bay vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,246 per month in Grand Bay vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Grand Bay vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Grand Bay costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Grand Bay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Grand Bay 14% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.90 MUR 276

$2.10 ฿69.3

180.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 MUR 2,964

$19.84 ฿656

219.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 MUR 330

$5.79 ฿191

21.59%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MUR 123

$1.83 ฿60.4

43.72%

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

$1.19 MUR 55.6

$0.78 ฿25.61

52.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 MUR 28.96

$0.31 ฿10.37

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MUR 124

$2.34 ฿77.2

13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MUR 227

$3.70 ฿122

31.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MUR 63.9

$2.03 ฿67.1

-33.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 MUR 36.98

$1.60 ฿52.7

-50.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MUR 54.8

$1.42 ฿46.75

-17.61%

Eggs

$2.41 MUR 113

$2.18 ฿71.9

10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.64 MUR 966

$15.91 ฿526

29.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 MUR 308

$3.07 ฿102

114.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.73 MUR 1,017

$9.87 ฿326

120.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 MUR 87.6

$2.63 ฿86.8

-28.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 MUR 95.6

$1.10 ฿36.19

85.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.5

$1.63 ฿53.8

-11.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 MUR 133

$1.53 ฿50.6

86.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 MUR 44.70

$1.24 ฿41.13

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.12

$1.13 ฿37.37

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.80

$0.74 ฿24.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MUR 25.01

$0.50 ฿16.48

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 MUR 313

$4.28 ฿141

56.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.58 MUR 402

$17.97 ฿594

-52.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MUR 77.0

$1.70 ฿56.1

-3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MUR 94.4

$2.90 ฿95.7

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.13

$0.94 ฿31.13

7.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 MUR 196

$1.23 ฿40.76

240.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 MUR 118

$0.53 ฿17.66

375.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.20 MUR 992

$2.40 ฿79.3

783.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.3

$1.44 ฿47.55

-2.78%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

66.67%

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

$37.5K MUR 1.8M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

37.52%

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

$45.28 MUR 2,119

$64.9 ฿2,145

-30.26%

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

$15.98 MUR 748

$13.35 ฿441

19.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 MUR 1,353

$20.83 ฿688

38.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 MUR 2,718

$40.42 ฿1,336

43.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 MUR 293

$6.71 ฿222

-6.71%

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

$130 MUR 6,086

$787 ฿26.0K

-83.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,579 MUR 354.7K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-49.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MUR 2,797

$56.2 ฿1,858

6.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 MUR 3,012

$24.95 ฿824

158.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MUR 4,906

$92.7 ฿3,063

13.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 MUR 4,168

$75.1 ฿2,482

18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 MUR 28.1K

$484 ฿16.0K

24.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 MUR 20.7K

$287 ฿9,491

53.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 MUR 94.9K

$910 ฿30.1K

122.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 MUR 68.6K

$531 ฿17.5K

176.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 MUR 60.1K

$605 ฿20.0K

112.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.72%

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

Last update for Grand Bay: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $600 in Grand Bay versus $484 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 112% 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 $63.0 in Grand Bay versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $242 – 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 25% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,782 per month in Grand Bay and $1,426 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 $63.0 in Grand Bay and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $950, than in Grand Bay at $1,188. 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 $950 versus $1,188 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.