Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Etienne and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Etienne and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,502 per month in Saint-Etienne vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,293 per month in Saint-Etienne vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Saint-Etienne vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint-Etienne costs about 73% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint-Etienne sits 12% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.63 €14.30

$1.94 ฿63.5

757.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.66 €39.28

$18.64 ฿609

144.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.36 €11.49

$7.82 ฿255

70.84%

Cappuccino

$2.05 €1.77

$1.95 ฿63.8

5.13%

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

$2.72 €2.34

$0.85 ฿27.77

220.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.35 ฿11.58

237.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.13 ฿69.6

84.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.89

$3.73 ฿122

21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.71 ฿56.0

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.63 ฿53.2

-27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.26

$1.14 ฿37.15

129.82%

Eggs

$3.56 €3.07

$1.93 ฿63.1

84.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.35 €15.79

$16.21 ฿530

13.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.48 €13.32

$3.12 ฿102

396.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.63 €17.75

$10.90 ฿356

89.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.77

$2.75 ฿90.0

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.21 ฿39.52

85.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.62 ฿53.0

54.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €2.97

$1.59 ฿51.8

116.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.40 ฿45.70

69.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$1.17 ฿38.17

132.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.34

$0.66 ฿21.60

136.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 €0.31

$0.53 ฿17.22

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 €11.08

$4.69 ฿153

174.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 €6.88

$18.66 ฿609

-57.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 €2.67

$1.80 ฿58.8

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 €3.28

$3.23 ฿106

17.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.90 ฿29.26

74.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.08 €41.36

$19.21 ฿628

150.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 €4.45

$1.41 ฿45.91

266.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.29 ฿42.12

36.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.95 €28.35

$7.84 ฿256

320.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.27 ฿41.58

56.69%

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

$37.8K €32.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

77.86%

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

68.36%

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

$122 €105

$69.1 ฿2,256

75.94%

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

$27.75 €23.87

$14.08 ฿460

97.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.01 €29.25

$18.00 ฿588

88.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.67 €27.24

$41.06 ฿1,341

-22.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.92 €5.95

$6.96 ฿227

-0.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 €9.07

$5.92 ฿193

78.21%

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

$782 €672

$299 ฿9,766

161.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,188 €7,044

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-45.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 €69.6

$54.7 ฿1,787

47.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 €37.89

$26.77 ฿874

64.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 €73.3

$85.0 ฿2,776

0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.2

$70.6 ฿2,306

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 €495

$428 ฿14.0K

34.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 €388

$237 ฿7,752

89.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 €776

$801 ฿26.2K

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 €595

$515 ฿16.8K

34.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,765 €1,519

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-10.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 €1,469

$1,475 ฿48.2K

15.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,319 €1,995

$617 ฿20.2K

275.62%

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 Saint-Etienne: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Saint-Etienne 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 276% higher in Saint-Etienne, 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 $46.00 in Saint-Etienne versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $246 – 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

Saint-Etienne vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Etienne costs about 73% 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 $2,254 per month in Saint-Etienne 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 $782 per month in Saint-Etienne 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 47% more in Saint-Etienne, 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 $866, than in Saint-Etienne at $1,502. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint-Etienne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,502 in Saint-Etienne. 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, Saint-Etienne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.