Cost of Living Comparison Between Rueil-Malmaison and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Rueil-Malmaison and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,120 per month in Rueil-Malmaison vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,925 per month in Rueil-Malmaison vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,729 per month in Rueil-Malmaison vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rueil-Malmaison costs about 150% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rueil-Malmaison sits 59% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.57 €17.14

$2.03 ฿68.5

864.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.97 €41.15

$18.71 ฿631

151.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 €10.16

$7.84 ฿265

47.96%

Cappuccino

$3.46 €3.03

$1.93 ฿65.0

79.27%

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

$2.78 €2.44

$0.83 ฿28.05

234.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.35 ฿11.82

428.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 €5.96

$2.22 ฿74.9

206.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 €5.19

$3.79 ฿128

56.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.65 ฿55.5

-24.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.58

$1.55 ฿52.4

16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$1.18 ฿39.86

116.95%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.56

$2.01 ฿68.0

101.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.02 €16.66

$16.16 ฿545

17.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 €12.04

$3.03 ฿102

353.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.71 €18.15

$10.84 ฿366

91.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 €2.74

$2.68 ฿90.4

16.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.92

$1.22 ฿41.21

79.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.35

$1.63 ฿54.9

64.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 €3.21

$1.53 ฿51.6

139.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.90

$1.34 ฿45.18

61.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 €2.26

$1.21 ฿40.93

113.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.36

$0.70 ฿23.67

121.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.59

$0.53 ฿17.73

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.64 €11.95

$4.69 ฿158

190.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 €6.19

$17.71 ฿598

-60.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 €2.38

$1.85 ฿62.3

47.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €3.05

$3.21 ฿108

8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.70

$0.89 ฿30.07

117.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.25 €43.15

$18.76 ฿633

162.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 €4.09

$1.41 ฿47.48

231.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.29 ฿43.59

31.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.65 €32.11

$7.79 ฿263

370.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.29 ฿43.67

62.02%

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

$37.0K €32.4K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

69.94%

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

$36.9K €32.3K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

70.15%

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

$192 €168

$70.0 ฿2,362

174.82%

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

$22.92 €20.08

$14.19 ฿479

61.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.19 €28.20

$17.42 ฿588

84.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 €32.83

$41.64 ฿1,405

-10.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 €15.74

$6.89 ฿233

160.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 €12.00

$5.78 ฿195

137.02%

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

$766 €671

$300 ฿10.1K

155.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,659 €7,587

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-40.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.6

$55.4 ฿1,869

86.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 €34.05

$26.31 ฿888

47.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 €79.1

$84.8 ฿2,863

6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €121

$70.5 ฿2,379

96.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €931

$425 ฿14.4K

149.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 €801

$235 ฿7,933

288.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 €1,236

$802 ฿27.1K

75.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 €962

$516 ฿17.4K

112.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,665 €5,840

$1,926 ฿65.0K

246.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,097 €2,713

$1,451 ฿49.0K

113.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,190 €2,794

$586 ฿19.8K

444.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.63

-27.40%

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

Last update for Rueil-Malmaison: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Rueil-Malmaison versus $425 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 444% higher in Rueil-Malmaison, 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 $47.00 in Rueil-Malmaison versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $242 – 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

Rueil-Malmaison vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rueil-Malmaison costs about 150% 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 $3,181 per month in Rueil-Malmaison and $1,271 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 $766 per month in Rueil-Malmaison and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Rueil-Malmaison, 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 $847, than in Rueil-Malmaison at $2,120. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rueil-Malmaison it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $2,120 in Rueil-Malmaison. 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, Rueil-Malmaison makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.