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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $778 per month in Saint-Louis vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Saint-Louis vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,750 per month in Saint-Louis vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint-Louis is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint-Louis and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saint-Louis 42% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 F CFA 1,943

$1.94 ฿63.5

77.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 F CFA 30.2K

$18.64 ฿609

186.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 F CFA 5,877

$7.82 ฿255

33.25%

Cappuccino

$4.51 F CFA 2,543

$1.95 ฿63.8

131.28%

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

$0.84 F CFA 475

$0.85 ฿27.77

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 F CFA 594

$0.35 ฿11.58

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$2.13 ฿69.6

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,416

$3.73 ฿122

14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

$1.71 ฿56.0

50.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 153

$1.63 ฿53.2

-83.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 912

$1.14 ฿37.15

42.11%

Eggs

$2.60 F CFA 1,464

$1.93 ฿63.1

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 F CFA 7,107

$16.21 ฿530

-22.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 F CFA 5,198

$3.12 ฿102

195.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 F CFA 6,176

$10.90 ฿356

0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 F CFA 1,591

$2.75 ฿90.0

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 F CFA 1,126

$1.21 ฿39.52

65.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$1.62 ฿53.0

60.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 F CFA 1,164

$1.59 ฿51.8

29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 F CFA 874

$1.40 ฿45.70

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 755

$1.17 ฿38.17

14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 F CFA 573

$0.66 ฿21.60

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 F CFA 408

$0.53 ฿17.22

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 F CFA 922

$4.69 ฿153

-65.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 F CFA 8,643

$18.66 ฿609

-17.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 F CFA 660

$1.80 ฿58.8

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

$3.23 ฿106

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 F CFA 514

$1.41 ฿45.91

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 F CFA 1,569

$1.29 ฿42.12

115.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 F CFA 9,996

$7.84 ฿256

126.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 F CFA 974

$1.27 ฿41.58

36.22%

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

$36.0K F CFA 20.3M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

69.16%

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

$49.7K F CFA 28.0M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

123.88%

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

$140 F CFA 79.1K

$69.1 ฿2,256

103.16%

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

$9.67 F CFA 5,453

$14.08 ฿460

-31.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 F CFA 28.5K

$18.00 ฿588

181.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 F CFA 5,038

$5.92 ฿193

50.84%

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

$265 F CFA 149.6K

$299 ฿9,766

-11.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,357 F CFA 4.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-50.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 F CFA 39.2K

$54.7 ฿1,787

27.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 F CFA 24.8K

$26.77 ฿874

64.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

$85.0 ฿2,776

21.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 F CFA 73.1K

$70.6 ฿2,306

83.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 F CFA 249.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

65.00%

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

Last update for Saint-Louis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Saint-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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Saint-Louis versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 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-Louis vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Saint-Louis, 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 $1,167 per month in Saint-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 Saint-Louis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Saint-Louis and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Chiang Mai – 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 Saint-Louis, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Chiang Mai at $866. In Saint-Louis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saint-Louis costs $778 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Saint-Louis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.