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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,515 in Benesov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,107 in Benesov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,698 in Benesov, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than Benesov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Benesov is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$6.40 Kč 133

-69.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.23 Kč 568

-31.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$9.08 Kč 189

-13.88%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.24 Kč 46.71

-12.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.37 Kč 28.57

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.67 Kč 14.07

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.60 Kč 33.33

33.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.71 Kč 35.71

118.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.00 Kč 20.85

71.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.17 Kč 24.48

39.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.92 Kč 40.01

-40.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.89 Kč 39.35

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.67 Kč 160

111.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.62 Kč 159

-59.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.12 Kč 274

-16.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.64 Kč 34.29

67.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.14 Kč 23.83

6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.36 Kč 28.38

19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.30 Kč 47.86

-30.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.89 Kč 18.64

57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.30 Kč 27.17

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.69 Kč 14.35

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.73 Kč 15.29

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.54 Kč 115

-15.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.37 Kč 112

247.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.86 Kč 18.02

109.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.73 Kč 15.23

342.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.15 Kč 23.94

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$25.74 Kč 537

-25.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.87 Kč 59.9

-50.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.41 Kč 8.53

214.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.49 Kč 114

42.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.56 Kč 32.53

-18.59%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$27.7K Kč 577.6K

-23.21%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$25.5K Kč 531.0K

-12.79%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$314 Kč 6,542

-77.99%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$25.17 Kč 525

-44.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$21.04 Kč 439

-14.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$54.2 Kč 1,131

-24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.70 Kč 244

-40.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.52 Kč 240

-48.61%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$440 Kč 9,178

-32.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$14.7K Kč 306.7K

1.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$88.6 Kč 1,847

-38.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$40.38 Kč 842

-33.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$98.3 Kč 2,048

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$110 Kč 2,293

-35.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$678 Kč 14.1K

-36.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$556 Kč 11.6K

-57.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,172 Kč 24.4K

-31.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$881 Kč 18.4K

-41.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,156 Kč 107.5K

-61.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,248 Kč 67.7K

-54.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

-10.07%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benesov: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $678 in Benesov. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Benesov. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Benesov – so Benesov wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $1,515 in Benesov – roughly 75% apart. Benesov costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,273 in Benesov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $440 in Benesov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Benesov at $1,515. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benesov it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,515 in Benesov. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benesov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.