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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Bonao versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Bonao versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,492 in Bonao versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 17% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 47% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.59 DOP 325

$2.04 ฿68.2

174.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.06 DOP 1,572

$18.71 ฿624

44.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 291

$7.86 ฿262

-36.39%

Cappuccino

$2.00 DOP 116

$2.03 ฿67.7

-1.48%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.4

$0.80 ฿26.64

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.08

$0.35 ฿11.68

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 DOP 140

$2.14 ฿71.5

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$3.67 ฿122

-14.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 78.4

$1.73 ฿57.6

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 DOP 82.4

$1.57 ฿52.4

-9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 DOP 55.5

$1.20 ฿39.99

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.57 DOP 91.5

$1.97 ฿65.8

-20.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 DOP 408

$16.23 ฿541

-56.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 DOP 323

$3.06 ฿102

81.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 DOP 643

$10.80 ฿360

2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 131

$2.77 ฿92.3

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 DOP 37.82

$1.17 ฿38.94

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 132

$1.71 ฿57.0

32.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$1.59 ฿53.2

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 128

$1.39 ฿46.51

58.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 DOP 66.3

$1.16 ฿38.56

-1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 DOP 44.38

$0.66 ฿22.05

15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.37

$0.52 ฿17.31

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 DOP 326

$4.65 ฿155

20.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 DOP 420

$17.78 ฿593

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 DOP 137

$1.79 ฿59.6

32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 189

$3.34 ฿111

-2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 DOP 31.06

$0.91 ฿30.27

-41.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 DOP 1,578

$18.64 ฿622

45.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$1.41 ฿47.04

134.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$1.34 ฿44.70

56.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 DOP 140

$8.11 ฿270

-70.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 69.9

$1.23 ฿41.16

-2.44%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

23.79%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

48.17%

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

$76.8 DOP 4,460

$71.3 ฿2,379

7.60%

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

$25.53 DOP 1,484

$14.01 ฿467

82.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.39 DOP 1,998

$17.93 ฿598

91.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.13 DOP 995

$40.82 ฿1,362

-58.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 DOP 150

$5.72 ฿191

-54.90%

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

$268 DOP 15.6K

$308 ฿10.3K

-13.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-45.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 DOP 3,514

$55.8 ฿1,860

8.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,964

$26.04 ฿869

95.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 DOP 1,989

$84.8 ฿2,829

-59.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.36 DOP 1,938

$71.0 ฿2,368

-53.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DOP 8,231

$423 ฿14.1K

-66.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 DOP 5,866

$242 ฿8,088

-58.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 DOP 16.8K

$797 ฿26.6K

-63.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.5K

$507 ฿16.9K

-57.66%

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)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

140.00%

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

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Bonao and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bonao vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $244, with Bonao 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

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

Bonao and Chiang Mai differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($706 vs $852 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,059 in Bonao and $1,279 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $142 in Bonao versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 46% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $268 in Bonao versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bonao 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, Bonao 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 Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.