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: $1,087 in Benoni versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,630 in Benoni versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in Benoni versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Benoni is roughly 28% more expensive than in 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

$8.28 R 136

$2.04 ฿68.2

305.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 R 556

$18.71 ฿624

80.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 R 76.2

$7.86 ฿262

-41.09%

Cappuccino

$2.11 R 34.68

$2.03 ฿67.7

3.94%

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

$1.07 R 17.55

$0.80 ฿26.64

33.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.97

$0.35 ฿11.68

125.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.34

$2.14 ฿71.5

6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 R 41.97

$3.67 ฿122

-30.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.09

$1.73 ฿57.6

-32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.63

$1.57 ฿52.4

-31.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.30

$1.20 ฿39.99

38.33%

Eggs

$2.51 R 41.30

$1.97 ฿65.8

27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 R 129

$16.23 ฿541

-51.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 R 76.1

$3.06 ฿102

50.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.46 R 106

$10.80 ฿360

-40.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.92

$2.77 ฿92.3

-40.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.10

$1.17 ฿38.94

29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.56

$1.71 ฿57.0

-12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.59 ฿53.2

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.84

$1.39 ฿46.51

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.92

$1.16 ฿38.56

4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.40

$0.66 ฿22.05

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.78

$0.52 ฿17.31

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.33

$4.65 ฿155

-35.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 R 82.1

$17.78 ฿593

-71.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.20

$1.79 ฿59.6

-24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.52

$3.34 ฿111

-51.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 R 26.46

$0.91 ฿30.27

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.26

$1.41 ฿47.04

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.31

$1.34 ฿44.70

-30.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 R 50.4

$8.11 ฿270

-62.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.19

$1.23 ฿41.16

4.88%

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

$22.8K R 374.9K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

6.24%

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

$24.3K R 400.1K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

11.35%

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

$125 R 2,062

$71.3 ฿2,379

75.59%

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

$40.69 R 670

$14.01 ฿467

190.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.56 R 701

$17.93 ฿598

137.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.62 R 274

$40.82 ฿1,362

-59.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 R 120

$5.72 ฿191

27.45%

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

$206 R 3,386

$308 ฿10.3K

-33.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,363 R 71.8K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-70.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 R 827

$55.8 ฿1,860

-9.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.05 R 560

$26.04 ฿869

30.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 R 1,522

$84.8 ฿2,829

9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 R 1,321

$71.0 ฿2,368

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 5,994

$423 ฿14.1K

-13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R 7,147

$242 ฿8,088

79.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 R 7,362

$797 ฿26.6K

-43.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 R 11.9K

$507 ฿16.9K

42.46%

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)

$2,008 R 33.1K

$595 ฿19.9K

237.46%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Benoni and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 237% 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 $179 vs $244, 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,087 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 237% 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: $364 in Benoni versus $423 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 $1,087 per month in Benoni versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 28% 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 28% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.