Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamarin and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamarin and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Tamarin vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,710 per month in Tamarin vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Tamarin vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tamarin costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tamarin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tamarin 24% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 MUR 304

$1.98 ฿64.3

226.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.92 MUR 1,974

$18.80 ฿612

122.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 MUR 260

$7.75 ฿252

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 122

$1.92 ฿62.5

34.38%

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

$0.84 MUR 39.63

$0.79 ฿25.79

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.92

$0.36 ฿11.62

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 MUR 79.7

$2.21 ฿72.1

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 81.7

$3.66 ฿119

-52.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MUR 70.0

$1.65 ฿53.8

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 MUR 18.77

$1.63 ฿53.2

-75.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MUR 61.8

$1.19 ฿38.86

10.08%

Eggs

$2.11 MUR 99.5

$2.00 ฿65.1

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.35 MUR 252

$15.98 ฿520

-66.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 MUR 294

$3.03 ฿98.5

105.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 MUR 453

$10.86 ฿354

-11.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 MUR 97.6

$2.76 ฿90.0

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.7

$1.18 ฿38.42

66.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MUR 68.7

$1.64 ฿53.5

-10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MUR 126

$1.52 ฿49.51

75.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.09

$1.38 ฿45.10

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.33

$1.19 ฿38.84

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MUR 36.82

$0.70 ฿22.86

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 37.96

$0.56 ฿18.13

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.49 MUR 306

$4.58 ฿149

41.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 MUR 397

$16.56 ฿539

-49.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 80.5

$1.83 ฿59.5

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MUR 76.1

$3.20 ฿104

-49.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 MUR 55.5

$0.88 ฿28.56

34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.99 MUR 517

$18.72 ฿610

-41.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MUR 211

$1.36 ฿44.16

228.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 MUR 129

$1.34 ฿43.65

104.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 MUR 315

$7.84 ฿256

-14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MUR 61.6

$1.23 ฿39.92

6.50%

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

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

30.99%

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

$27.4K MUR 1.3M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

21.38%

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

$49.29 MUR 2,321

$70.5 ฿2,298

-30.12%

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

$16.05 MUR 756

$13.68 ฿445

17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 MUR 1,433

$17.45 ฿568

74.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 MUR 2,396

$41.33 ฿1,346

23.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.10 MUR 523

$6.96 ฿227

59.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 MUR 288

$5.77 ฿188

6.07%

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

$153 MUR 7,186

$307 ฿10.0K

-50.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,115 MUR 146.7K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 MUR 2,789

$55.8 ฿1,817

6.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 MUR 2,230

$26.21 ฿854

80.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 MUR 4,103

$85.8 ฿2,793

1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 MUR 2,794

$72.2 ฿2,353

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 MUR 36.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

81.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 MUR 18.3K

$239 ฿7,774

62.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 MUR 68.4K

$817 ฿26.6K

77.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 MUR 43.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

81.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$851 MUR 40.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

37.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Tamarin: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $781 in Tamarin versus $430 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 38% higher in Tamarin, 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 $42.00 in Tamarin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Tamarin vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Tamarin 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

Tamarin vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tamarin costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,536 per month in Tamarin and $1,303 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 $153 per month in Tamarin and $307 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 23% cheaper in Tamarin – 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 $869, than in Tamarin at $1,024. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tamarin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,024 in Tamarin. 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, Tamarin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.