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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,102 in Benoni versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Benoni versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,609 in Benoni versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Benoni is roughly 18% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Benoni 19% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.26 R 168

$2.08 ฿69.5

393.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.74 R 634

$19.61 ฿655

97.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 R 97.4

$5.67 ฿189

4.76%

Cappuccino

$2.33 R 38.19

$1.81 ฿60.3

28.73%

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

$1.20 R 19.58

$0.77 ฿25.65

55.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.79

$0.35 ฿11.53

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 R 37.55

$2.21 ฿73.9

3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 R 45.14

$3.79 ฿127

-27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.52

$2.05 ฿68.4

-41.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.86

$1.51 ฿50.6

-23.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.25

$1.40 ฿46.69

23.57%

Eggs

$2.50 R 41.02

$2.26 ฿75.4

10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 R 133

$16.19 ฿540

-49.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 R 80.5

$2.90 ฿96.7

69.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R 118

$9.42 ฿314

-23.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.59

$2.68 ฿89.4

-32.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R 28.11

$1.09 ฿36.37

57.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.13

$1.62 ฿54.0

13.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.13

$1.46 ฿48.74

13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.63

$1.28 ฿42.65

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.09

$1.06 ฿35.31

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 R 20.58

$0.72 ฿23.94

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.45

$0.53 ฿17.56

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R 54.3

$4.23 ฿141

-21.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 R 86.2

$18.29 ฿611

-71.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.36

$1.63 ฿54.4

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 R 32.02

$2.90 ฿96.8

-32.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.27

$1.17 ฿39.14

-72.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.72

$0.58 ฿19.30

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.89 R 244

$2.39 ฿79.6

523.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 R 25.05

$1.45 ฿48.41

5.52%

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

$36.0K R 589.0K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

71.14%

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

$32.6K R 533.6K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

23.30%

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

$204 R 3,339

$63.7 ฿2,125

220.33%

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

$38.80 R 636

$12.89 ฿430

201.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.16 R 625

$20.52 ฿685

85.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.56 R 304

$39.02 ฿1,302

-52.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 R 122

$6.58 ฿220

13.53%

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

$245 R 4,019

$784 ฿26.2K

-68.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,491 R 89.9K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-62.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 R 881

$55.1 ฿1,840

-2.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 R 539

$24.74 ฿826

33.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 R 1,523

$94.1 ฿3,142

-1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 R 1,371

$74.0 ฿2,469

13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,603

$490 ฿16.4K

-17.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 R 5,110

$288 ฿9,620

8.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 R 7,908

$891 ฿29.8K

-45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,049 R 33.6K

$602 ฿20.1K

240.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

5.57

95.87%

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

Last update for Benoni: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Benoni and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 241% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Benoni vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $241, with Benoni cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Benoni and Chiang Mai differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,102 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 241% higher in Benoni, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Benoni versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Benoni pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,102 per month in Benoni versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Benoni, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Benoni. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Benoni and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.