Cost of Living Comparison Between Melun and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Melun and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,764 per month in Melun vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,642 per month in Melun vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,519 per month in Melun vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Melun costs about 109% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Melun sits 32% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.21 €11.27

$1.95 ฿62.8

577.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 €47.21

$18.43 ฿594

200.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 €11.71

$7.50 ฿241

83.07%

Cappuccino

$3.15 €2.68

$1.93 ฿62.3

63.21%

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

$1.78 €1.51

$0.78 ฿25.08

128.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.79

$0.32 ฿10.42

556.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 €6.45

$2.15 ฿69.2

251.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €4.98

$3.71 ฿120

57.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.71 ฿55.2

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.56 ฿50.3

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.57

$1.18 ฿38.06

155.08%

Eggs

$3.96 €3.38

$1.98 ฿63.9

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.15 €18.89

$16.04 ฿517

38.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 €11.09

$3.17 ฿102

310.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.18 €20.63

$10.94 ฿353

121.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 €3.17

$2.63 ฿84.7

41.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.86

$1.17 ฿37.61

86.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 €2.05

$1.65 ฿53.0

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.80

$1.54 ฿49.51

112.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 €1.63

$1.38 ฿44.34

38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.17 ฿37.54

80.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.36

$0.66 ฿21.25

140.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.58

$0.51 ฿16.55

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.46 €11.48

$4.52 ฿146

197.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.70

$18.32 ฿590

-50.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.01

$1.80 ฿57.9

30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 €3.82

$3.18 ฿102

40.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €1.98

$0.90 ฿28.97

157.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.15 €41.92

$19.00 ฿612

158.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 €4.01

$1.41 ฿45.50

233.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.62

$1.31 ฿42.15

45.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.85 €27.17

$8.09 ฿261

293.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.28 ฿41.08

63.28%

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

$36.9K €31.5K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

73.37%

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

$38.0K €32.4K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

75.09%

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

$198 €168

$69.2 ฿2,230

185.40%

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

$23.33 €19.90

$13.97 ฿450

67.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.39 €24.21

$17.95 ฿578

58.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.63 €31.24

$42.31 ฿1,363

-13.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 €15.74

$6.66 ฿214

177.03%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 €9.02

$5.92 ฿191

78.55%

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

$571 €487

$299 ฿9,640

90.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,459 €7,216

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-43.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 €77.6

$56.2 ฿1,810

61.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 €30.84

$26.94 ฿868

34.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 €74.0

$84.9 ฿2,735

2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 €88.9

$71.8 ฿2,314

45.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 €658

$435 ฿14.0K

77.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 €509

$240 ฿7,727

148.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 €1,049

$798 ฿25.7K

54.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 €776

$498 ฿16.1K

82.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,209 €3,590

$1,995 ฿64.3K

110.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,022 €2,578

$1,532 ฿49.4K

97.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,555 €2,179

$628 ฿20.2K

306.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.69

-26.20%

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

Last update for Melun: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Melun versus $435 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 307% higher in Melun, 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 $55 in Melun versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $244 – 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

Melun vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melun costs about 109% 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 $2,646 per month in Melun and $1,267 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.

Kindergarten costs $571 per month in Melun and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Melun, 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 $845, than in Melun at $1,764. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,764 in Melun. 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, Melun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.