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: $1,097 in Benoni versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,409 in Benoni versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,721 in Benoni versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Benoni is roughly 29% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Benoni 18% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 R 142

$1.96 ฿64.0

332.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 R 570

$18.81 ฿615

80.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 R 77.5

$7.92 ฿259

-41.67%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R 34.43

$1.91 ฿62.6

7.33%

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

$1.01 R 16.94

$0.84 ฿27.41

20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 13.14

$0.35 ฿11.51

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R 37.21

$2.21 ฿72.1

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R 43.00

$3.80 ฿124

-32.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.24

$1.64 ฿53.5

-29.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 17.10

$1.62 ฿53.1

-37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 R 29.00

$1.18 ฿38.62

46.61%

Eggs

$2.49 R 41.78

$2.01 ฿65.8

23.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 R 132

$15.89 ฿520

-50.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 R 78.0

$3.01 ฿98.5

54.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 R 106

$10.77 ฿352

-41.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 28.04

$2.61 ฿85.5

-36.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.73

$1.22 ฿39.88

25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 25.04

$1.70 ฿55.7

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.71

$1.58 ฿51.5

4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 22.10

$1.32 ฿43.14

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.68

$1.17 ฿38.23

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.23

$0.67 ฿21.98

62.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.70

$0.56 ฿18.32

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R 53.0

$4.53 ฿148

-30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 R 87.1

$18.20 ฿595

-71.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 22.12

$1.83 ฿60.0

-27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 26.88

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 R 27.91

$0.89 ฿29.00

86.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.26

$1.35 ฿44.20

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.93

$1.35 ฿44.05

-29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 R 52.4

$8.25 ฿270

-62.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.59

$1.27 ฿41.64

1.57%

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

$22.4K R 375.6K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

5.88%

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

$23.5K R 394.6K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

4.63%

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

$124 R 2,077

$70.2 ฿2,294

76.59%

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

$40.14 R 673

$13.77 ฿450

191.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 R 722

$17.60 ฿575

144.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.47 R 276

$41.57 ฿1,360

-60.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 R 122

$5.78 ฿189

25.78%

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

$211 R 3,540

$306 ฿10.0K

-31.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,372 R 73.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-70.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R 858

$54.4 ฿1,778

-5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 R 554

$26.14 ฿855

26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,499

$84.5 ฿2,764

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 R 1,314

$69.4 ฿2,270

12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,136

$424 ฿13.9K

-13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R 7,272

$238 ฿7,788

82.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 R 7,401

$825 ฿27.0K

-46.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 R 40.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

362.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$824 R 13.8K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-59.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 R 17.3K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-32.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,907 R 32.0K

$635 ฿20.8K

200.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

130.20%

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

Last update for Benoni: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Benoni and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 200% 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: $34.00 in Benoni vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $178 vs $243, 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,097 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Benoni pays 200% more on average, 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: $366 in Benoni versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Benoni pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,097 per month in Benoni versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 29% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.