Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meaux and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,295 in Meaux, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. The total is higher in Meaux despite lower rent and utilities.

Meaux
🇫🇷 France
$1,295
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Meaux 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 Meaux and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,295 per month in Meaux vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Meaux $1,295
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $2,085 per month in Meaux vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Meaux $2,085
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $2,874 per month in Meaux vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Meaux $2,874
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Meaux costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Meaux and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Meaux 4% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.28 €16.26
$2.29 ฿76.5
698.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.0 €69.4
$19.64 ฿656
297.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.63 €12.13
$5.61 ฿188
142.96%
Cappuccino
$5.24 €4.66
$1.66 ฿55.6
215.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 €4.01
$0.70 ฿23.40
544.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 €2.41
$0.31 ฿10.24
774.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.75 €6.90
$2.41 ฿80.4
221.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.74 €6.00
$3.71 ฿124
81.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.18
$1.95 ฿65.3
-31.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.41 ฿47.03
-4.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.31 ฿43.62
31.30%
Eggs
$3.95 €3.51
$2.18 ฿72.9
81.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 €9.87
$16.65 ฿556
-33.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.72 €12.20
$2.76 ฿92.2
397.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.19 €19.74
$9.11 ฿304
143.58%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 €2.94
$2.39 ฿80.0
38.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.03 ฿34.26
44.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 €2.66
$1.63 ฿54.4
83.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.50 ฿50.0
46.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.29 ฿43.13
39.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 €2.21
$1.11 ฿37.03
124.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.72 ฿24.08
91.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 €0.38
$0.53 ฿17.59
-18.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.46 €12.86
$4.31 ฿144
235.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.45 €3.96
$17.95 ฿600
-75.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 €2.36
$1.58 ฿52.9
67.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 €3.17
$2.84 ฿95.0
25.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.31 €3.84
$0.86 ฿28.86
401.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$101 €90.3
$53.3 ฿1,780
90.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.15 €8.14
$1.21 ฿40.29
656.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.57 ฿18.99
152.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$46.33 €41.21
$2.35 ฿78.6
1871.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.95
$1.44 ฿47.96
52.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K €31.0K
$20.7K ฿692.8K
67.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$26.8K ฿895.7K
42.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$245 €218
$62.3 ฿2,083
293.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.24 €10.00
$12.11 ฿405
-7.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.46 €27.10
$19.94 ฿666
52.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.07 ฿1,239
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.78 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.48 €12.88
$6.50 ฿217
122.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,828 €1,626
$793 ฿26.5K
130.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.4K €23.5K
$14.8K ฿494.9K
78.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 €96.6
$53.7 ฿1,796
102.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4 €46.65
$24.62 ฿823
113.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 €105
$90.9 ฿3,036
29.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 €140
$71.1 ฿2,378
121.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$455 ฿15.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$298 ฿9,954
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$908 ฿30.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$554 ฿18.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,455 €3,963
$1,931 ฿64.5K
130.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,306 €2,941
$1,445 ฿48.3K
128.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Meaux
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,202 €2,849
$591 ฿19.7K
442.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
5.57
-38.96%

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

Last update for Meaux: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Eating Out
Meaux
$331
Chiang Mai
$79 76.3% $253
Groceries & Markets
Meaux
$317
Chiang Mai
$235 25.6% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meaux
$287
Chiang Mai
$94 67.1% $193
Clothing & Footwear
Meaux
$196
Chiang Mai
$108 44.9% $88
Getting Around
Meaux
$135
Chiang Mai
$61 55% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Meaux
$29 *
Chiang Mai
$50 72.9% $21
Accommodation & Living
Meaux
- *
Chiang Mai
$298

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 442% higher in Meaux, 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 $78.0 in Meaux versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Meaux
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
05:55 5:55 AM
10:55 10:55 AM
5 h ahead of Meaux
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
55,616
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 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • Meaux Chiang Mai 8,880 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Meaux
  • 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
Meaux vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Meaux or Chiang Mai?
Meaux costs about 40% 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 Meaux and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,943 per month in Meaux and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do childcare costs compare in Meaux and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $1,828 per month in Meaux and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Meaux or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Meaux, 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 Meaux or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Meaux at $1,295. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meaux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Meaux or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,295 in Meaux. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Meaux 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 Meaux or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Meaux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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