Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Louis and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Louis and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,066 per month in Port Louis vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Port Louis vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,359 per month in Port Louis vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Louis costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Port Louis and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Port Louis 20% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 MUR 316

$1.96 ฿65.7

243.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.60 MUR 2,049

$18.35 ฿616

137.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 MUR 334

$7.48 ฿251

-4.95%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 120

$2.02 ฿67.7

26.24%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.79

$0.85 ฿28.45

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.88

$0.36 ฿11.94

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MUR 103

$2.14 ฿71.7

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 MUR 151

$3.59 ฿121

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MUR 79.6

$1.65 ฿55.4

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.85

$1.57 ฿52.6

-55.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.0

$1.19 ฿39.95

7.56%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 106

$1.94 ฿65.0

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 MUR 558

$16.19 ฿544

-26.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 MUR 293

$2.99 ฿100

108.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.47 MUR 586

$10.94 ฿367

13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 MUR 94.1

$2.71 ฿91.0

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 MUR 94.7

$1.17 ฿39.18

72.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.7

$1.69 ฿56.6

-11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 MUR 123

$1.60 ฿53.9

63.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.48

$1.38 ฿46.45

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.64

$1.20 ฿40.38

-22.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.54

$0.67 ฿22.46

25.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MUR 34.83

$0.56 ฿18.70

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 MUR 308

$4.64 ฿156

41.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 MUR 392

$17.62 ฿591

-52.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 81.5

$1.86 ฿62.4

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MUR 101

$3.30 ฿111

-34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.59

$0.88 ฿29.63

14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 MUR 1,051

$19.34 ฿649

15.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MUR 212

$1.36 ฿45.82

231.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 MUR 127

$1.34 ฿44.90

102.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 MUR 934

$8.21 ฿276

141.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 67.8

$1.22 ฿41.11

18.03%

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

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

65.99%

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

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

29.50%

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

$48.83 MUR 2,295

$70.7 ฿2,372

-30.90%

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

$18.07 MUR 849

$14.04 ฿471

28.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.95 MUR 1,596

$17.49 ฿587

94.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.52 MUR 1,153

$42.15 ฿1,415

-41.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.93 MUR 185

$6.88 ฿231

-42.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 MUR 288

$5.92 ฿199

3.38%

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

$152 MUR 7,139

$309 ฿10.4K

-50.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,892 MUR 182.9K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-73.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 MUR 4,080

$55.8 ฿1,872

55.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.8 MUR 3,798

$26.11 ฿877

209.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,092

$83.0 ฿2,787

56.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 MUR 4,498

$70.5 ฿2,365

35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 MUR 22.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.3K

$239 ฿8,020

45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 MUR 36.6K

$822 ฿27.6K

-5.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 MUR 28.9K

$512 ฿17.2K

20.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,136 MUR 194.4K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

116.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 MUR 50.0K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-27.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$688 MUR 32.3K

$579 ฿19.4K

18.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Port Louis: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Port Louis 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 19% higher in Port Louis, 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 $44.00 in Port Louis versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Port Louis vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Port Louis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Port Louis vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Louis costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,599 per month in Port Louis 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 $152 per month in Port Louis and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Port Louis – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Port Louis at $1,066. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Louis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,066 in Port Louis. 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, Port Louis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.