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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Benoni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,355 in Benoni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,609 in Benoni.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 15% less than in Benoni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Benoni 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.26 R 168

-79.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$38.74 R 634

-49.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.94 R 97.4

-4.55%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.33 R 38.19

-22.32%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.20 R 19.58

-35.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.90 R 14.79

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.29 R 37.55

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.76 R 45.14

37.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.19 R 19.52

72.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.15 R 18.86

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.73 R 28.25

-19.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.50 R 41.02

-9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.10 R 133

99.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.92 R 80.5

-41.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.21 R 118

30.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.81 R 29.59

48.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.72 R 28.11

-36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.84 R 30.13

-11.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.66 R 27.13

-12.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.20 R 19.63

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.17 R 19.09

-9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.26 R 20.58

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.31 R 21.45

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.32 R 54.3

27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.26 R 86.2

247.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.61 R 26.36

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.96 R 32.02

47.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.32 R 5.27

265.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.96 R 15.72

-39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$14.89 R 244

-83.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.53 R 25.05

-5.23%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$36.0K R 589.0K

-41.57%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$32.6K R 533.6K

-18.90%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$204 R 3,339

-68.78%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$38.80 R 636

-66.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$38.16 R 625

-46.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$18.56 R 304

110.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.47 R 122

-11.91%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$245 R 4,019

219.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,491 R 89.9K

167.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$53.8 R 881

2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$32.94 R 539

-24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$93.0 R 1,523

1.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$83.7 R 1,371

-11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$403 R 6,603

21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$312 R 5,110

-7.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$483 R 7,908

84.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$2,049 R 33.6K

-70.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.91

-48.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Benoni: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $403 in Benoni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 241% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $39.00 in Benoni. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $195, 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

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

Chiang Mai and Benoni differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,102 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 241% lower in Benoni. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $403 in Benoni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Benoni pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Benoni – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Benoni, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Benoni. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Chiang Mai and Benoni 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 18% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.