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 $992 per month in Tamarin vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Tamarin vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Tamarin vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tamarin costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tamarin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tamarin 25% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 MUR 309

$2.04 ฿68.2

223.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.54 MUR 1,993

$18.71 ฿624

127.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 MUR 252

$7.86 ฿262

-31.68%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 121

$2.03 ฿67.7

27.09%

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

$0.92 MUR 42.92

$0.80 ฿26.64

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.52

$0.35 ฿11.68

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 MUR 75.7

$2.14 ฿71.5

-24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MUR 83.1

$3.67 ฿122

-51.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MUR 71.9

$1.73 ฿57.6

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 MUR 17.18

$1.57 ฿52.4

-76.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.5

$1.20 ฿39.99

10.83%

Eggs

$2.18 MUR 102

$1.97 ฿65.8

10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 MUR 263

$16.23 ฿541

-65.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 MUR 297

$3.06 ฿102

106.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 MUR 465

$10.80 ฿360

-8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 92.8

$2.77 ฿92.3

-28.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.3

$1.17 ฿38.94

68.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.5

$1.71 ฿57.0

-15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 127

$1.59 ฿53.2

70.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.64

$1.39 ฿46.51

-31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.64

$1.16 ฿38.56

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.69

$0.66 ฿22.05

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 37.86

$0.52 ฿17.31

55.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 MUR 317

$4.65 ฿155

45.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 MUR 397

$17.78 ฿593

-52.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 MUR 84.3

$1.79 ฿59.6

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MUR 75.7

$3.34 ฿111

-51.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 MUR 52.3

$0.91 ฿30.27

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.17 MUR 523

$18.64 ฿622

-40.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 MUR 202

$1.41 ฿47.04

204.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 MUR 123

$1.34 ฿44.70

97.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 MUR 318

$8.11 ฿270

-16.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MUR 61.5

$1.23 ฿41.16

6.50%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

34.69%

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

$27.5K MUR 1.3M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

25.96%

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

$48.69 MUR 2,281

$71.3 ฿2,379

-31.74%

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

$16.10 MUR 754

$14.01 ฿467

14.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.81 MUR 1,396

$17.93 ฿598

66.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 MUR 2,365

$40.82 ฿1,362

23.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.17 MUR 523

$6.88 ฿230

62.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.16 MUR 289

$5.72 ฿191

7.69%

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

$151 MUR 7,080

$308 ฿10.3K

-50.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,192 MUR 149.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-78.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MUR 2,770

$55.8 ฿1,860

6.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.47 MUR 2,223

$26.04 ฿869

82.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 MUR 4,115

$84.8 ฿2,829

3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 MUR 2,757

$71.0 ฿2,368

-17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 MUR 35.4K

$423 ฿14.1K

78.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 MUR 17.8K

$242 ฿8,088

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 MUR 67.2K

$797 ฿26.6K

79.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 MUR 44.6K

$507 ฿16.9K

87.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$831 MUR 38.9K

$595 ฿19.9K

39.73%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Tamarin versus $423 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 40% 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 $43.00 in Tamarin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Tamarin vs $244 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 16% 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 $1,488 per month in Tamarin and $1,279 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 $151 per month in Tamarin and $308 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 $852, than in Tamarin at $992. 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 $852 versus $992 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.