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 $1,069 per month in Port Louis vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,712 per month in Port Louis vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,356 per month in Port Louis vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Louis costs about 23% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 MUR 311

$1.94 ฿63.5

239.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.79 MUR 2,116

$18.64 ฿609

140.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 MUR 338

$7.82 ฿255

-8.44%

Cappuccino

$2.56 MUR 121

$1.95 ฿63.8

31.28%

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

$1.00 MUR 47.36

$0.85 ฿27.77

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.38

$0.35 ฿11.58

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 MUR 106

$2.13 ฿69.6

5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MUR 153

$3.73 ฿122

-13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MUR 76.9

$1.71 ฿56.0

-4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MUR 30.62

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.4

$1.14 ฿37.15

15.79%

Eggs

$2.22 MUR 105

$1.93 ฿63.1

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 MUR 566

$16.21 ฿530

-26.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 MUR 286

$3.12 ฿102

94.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 MUR 607

$10.90 ฿356

17.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 MUR 96.0

$2.75 ฿90.0

-26.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 MUR 94.3

$1.21 ฿39.52

65.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 68.2

$1.62 ฿53.0

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MUR 126

$1.59 ฿51.8

67.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.28

$1.40 ฿45.70

-27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.69

$1.17 ฿38.17

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 MUR 38.11

$0.66 ฿21.60

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MUR 37.85

$0.53 ฿17.22

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 MUR 316

$4.69 ฿153

42.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 MUR 408

$18.66 ฿609

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 MUR 85.2

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 MUR 106

$3.23 ฿106

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 MUR 48.62

$0.90 ฿29.26

14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.00 MUR 1,040

$19.21 ฿628

14.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 MUR 207

$1.41 ฿45.91

209.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 MUR 130

$1.29 ฿42.12

112.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.46 MUR 920

$7.84 ฿256

148.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 68.1

$1.27 ฿41.58

13.39%

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

$36.5K MUR 1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

71.34%

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

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

30.68%

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

$48.79 MUR 2,305

$69.1 ฿2,256

-29.36%

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

$18.55 MUR 876

$14.08 ฿460

31.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 MUR 1,567

$18.00 ฿588

84.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.33 MUR 1,149

$41.06 ฿1,341

-40.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.09 MUR 193

$6.96 ฿227

-41.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MUR 280

$5.92 ฿193

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

$152 MUR 7,202

$299 ฿9,766

-49.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,933 MUR 185.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-73.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 MUR 4,080

$54.7 ฿1,787

57.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.4 MUR 3,797

$26.77 ฿874

200.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 MUR 6,226

$85.0 ฿2,776

55.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 MUR 4,553

$70.6 ฿2,306

36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 MUR 21.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 MUR 16.5K

$237 ฿7,752

46.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 MUR 36.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

-2.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 MUR 29.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

19.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,106 MUR 194.0K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

107.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 MUR 50.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-26.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MUR 32.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

9.71%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Port Louis versus $428 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 10% 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 $45.00 in Port Louis versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Port Louis vs $246 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 23% 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 $1,603 per month in Port Louis and $1,300 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 $299 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 $866, than in Port Louis at $1,069. 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 $866 versus $1,069 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.