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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,983 per month in Montpellier vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Montpellier vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,871 per month in Montpellier vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Montpellier costs about 130% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montpellier sits 48% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €15.11

$1.96 ฿65.7

782.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 €51.2

$18.35 ฿616

219.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 €11.42

$7.48 ฿251

74.73%

Cappuccino

$3.67 €3.21

$2.02 ฿67.7

81.68%

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

$2.69 €2.35

$0.85 ฿28.45

216.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.66

$0.36 ฿11.94

425.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 €5.18

$2.14 ฿71.7

177.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.94

$3.59 ฿121

25.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.65 ฿55.4

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 €2.74

$1.57 ฿52.6

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$1.19 ฿39.95

120.17%

Eggs

$4.23 €3.70

$1.94 ฿65.0

118.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.28

$16.19 ฿544

15.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.23 €13.31

$2.99 ฿100

409.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.87 €22.60

$10.94 ฿367

136.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 €2.80

$2.71 ฿91.0

18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.17 ฿39.18

91.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$1.69 ฿56.6

49.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.36

$1.60 ฿53.9

140.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.38 ฿46.45

71.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 €2.31

$1.20 ฿40.38

120.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.67 ฿22.46

135.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.56 ฿18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 €12.17

$4.64 ฿156

200.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 €7.16

$17.62 ฿591

-53.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.66

$1.86 ฿62.4

63.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$3.30 ฿111

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 €1.57

$0.88 ฿29.63

104.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.70 €15.47

$19.34 ฿649

-8.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.68

$1.36 ฿45.82

293.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.34 ฿44.90

18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 €29.26

$8.21 ฿276

307.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.22 ฿41.11

65.57%

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

$37.4K €32.6K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

75.01%

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

$38.5K €33.6K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

70.89%

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

$189 €165

$70.7 ฿2,372

167.96%

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

$28.13 €24.57

$14.04 ฿471

100.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.31 €29.98

$17.49 ฿587

96.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 €33.46

$42.15 ฿1,415

-9.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.98 €25.32

$6.88 ฿231

321.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 €11.96

$5.92 ฿199

131.25%

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

$779 €681

$309 ฿10.4K

152.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,217 €7,180

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-44.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.0

$55.8 ฿1,872

82.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.77

$26.11 ฿877

69.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €93.2

$83.0 ฿2,787

28.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 €160

$70.5 ฿2,365

159.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 €743

$432 ฿14.5K

96.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 €669

$239 ฿8,020

220.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 €1,209

$822 ฿27.6K

68.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €967

$512 ฿17.2K

116.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,115 €4,469

$1,915 ฿64.3K

167.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,926 €3,430

$1,467 ฿49.3K

167.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,699 €2,358

$579 ฿19.4K

365.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

-27.20%

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

Last update for Montpellier: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $850 in Montpellier versus $432 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 366% higher in Montpellier, 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 $59.0 in Montpellier versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $243 – 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

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

Montpellier costs about 130% 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 $2,974 per month in Montpellier and $1,292 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 $779 per month in Montpellier and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Montpellier, 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 $861, than in Montpellier at $1,983. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montpellier it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,983 in Montpellier. 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, Montpellier makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.