Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonwapitse and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Bonwapitse: $567 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bonwapitse, Botswana
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Bonwapitse
🇧🇼 Botswana
$567
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bonwapitse and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bonwapitse and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $567 per month in Bonwapitse vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Bonwapitse $567
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $914 per month in Bonwapitse vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Bonwapitse $914
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,260 per month in Bonwapitse vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Bonwapitse $1,260
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Bonwapitse is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bonwapitse and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bonwapitse 58% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.04 P 149
$2.24 ฿75.7
392.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.88 P 390
$19.00 ฿642
52.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.91 P 79.7
$5.55 ฿188
6.49%
Cappuccino
$2.29 P 30.83
$1.67 ฿56.6
37.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 P 10.14
$0.64 ฿21.56
17.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 P 5.84
$0.31 ฿10.32
38.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 P 27.32
$2.36 ฿79.6
-14.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 P 35.19
$3.66 ฿124
-28.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 P 20.01
$1.95 ฿65.8
-24.10%
White Bread (500g)
$0.83 P 11.18
$1.44 ฿48.51
-42.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.79 P 24.11
$1.33 ฿45.07
34.59%
Eggs
$2.51 P 33.81
$2.28 ฿77.1
10.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.16 P 83.1
$16.45 ฿556
-62.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.44 P 60.0
$2.78 ฿94.0
59.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.12 P 69.1
$9.31 ฿314
-45.01%
Apples (1kg)
$1.64 P 22.17
$2.35 ฿79.5
-30.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 P 19.62
$0.97 ฿32.82
49.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 P 26.53
$1.60 ฿53.9
23.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 P 22.42
$1.50 ฿50.7
10.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 P 17.27
$1.28 ฿43.15
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 P 16.36
$1.10 ฿37.22
10.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 P 17.96
$0.71 ฿23.84
87.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 P 12.98
$0.49 ฿16.38
95.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.52 P 47.46
$4.14 ฿140
-14.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.28 P 57.7
$17.52 ฿592
-75.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 P 18.84
$1.61 ฿54.5
-13.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 P 24.20
$2.78 ฿94.0
-35.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.87 ฿29.33
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.1 ฿1,827
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.61 P 8.18
$1.16 ฿39.08
-47.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 P 33.84
$0.53 ฿17.82
373.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.85 P 38.45
$2.42 ฿81.8
17.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 P 17.97
$1.45 ฿48.93
-8.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K P 413.9K
$21.1K ฿711.2K
45.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K P 272.7K
$26.9K ฿909.8K
-24.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.7 P 792
$62.2 ฿2,100
-5.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.90 P 255
$12.17 ฿411
55.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.37 P 585
$20.12 ฿680
115.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.31 ฿1,260
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.77 ฿127
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.18 P 83.4
$6.49 ฿219
-4.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 P 1,697
$736 ฿24.9K
-82.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,472 P 33.4K
$14.8K ฿498.6K
-83.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.71 P 630
$53.4 ฿1,802
-12.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.54 P 223
$24.64 ฿832
-32.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.0 P 958
$91.5 ฿3,089
-22.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.0 P 1,052
$71.9 ฿2,429
8.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$482 ฿16.3K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$309 ฿10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,006 ฿34.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$633 ฿21.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,589 ฿53.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bonwapitse
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$590 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.33
5.57
103.41%

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

Last update for Bonwapitse: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Bonwapitse
$172
Chiang Mai
$234 36.5% $63
Eating Out
Bonwapitse
$154
Chiang Mai
$78 49.5% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonwapitse
$121
Chiang Mai
$94 21.9% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Bonwapitse
$96
Chiang Mai
$109 13.7% $13
Getting Around
Bonwapitse
$13 *
Chiang Mai
$61 367% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Bonwapitse
$12 *
Chiang Mai
$50 307% $38
Accommodation & Living
Bonwapitse
- *
Chiang Mai
$309

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Bonwapitse versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Bonwapitse vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Bonwapitse wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇼 Bonwapitse
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
22:37 10:37 PM
03:37 3:37 AM
5 h ahead of Bonwapitse
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
568
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BWP – Botswana Pula Converter

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 13.49 BWP (100 BWP = 7.41 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bonwapitse Chiang Mai 9,120 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bonwapitse
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bonwapitse vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bonwapitse or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Bonwapitse, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bonwapitse and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $851 per month in Bonwapitse and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Bonwapitse and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Bonwapitse and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Bonwapitse or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Bonwapitse or in Chiang Mai?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bonwapitse, where all-in costs run around $567, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Bonwapitse it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Bonwapitse or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $567 in Bonwapitse to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Bonwapitse compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Bonwapitse vs other spots: cost of living compared

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