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

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

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

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 22% less than in Benoni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Benoni 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$8.28 R 136

-75.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$33.80 R 556

-44.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.63 R 76.2

69.76%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.11 R 34.68

-3.79%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.07 R 17.55

-25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.79 R 12.97

-55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.27 R 37.34

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.55 R 41.97

43.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.16 R 19.09

49.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.07 R 17.63

46.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.66 R 27.30

-27.71%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.51 R 41.30

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.82 R 129

107.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.62 R 76.1

-33.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.46 R 106

67.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.64 R 26.92

68.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.52 R 25.10

-23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.49 R 24.56

14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.65 R 27.15

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.33 R 21.84

4.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.21 R 19.92

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.06 R 17.40

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.96 R 15.78

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.00 R 49.33

55.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.99 R 82.1

256.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.35 R 22.20

32.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.61 R 26.52

107.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.61 R 26.46

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.11 R 18.26

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.93 R 15.31

44.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.06 R 50.4

165.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.29 R 21.19

-4.65%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$22.8K R 374.9K

-5.87%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$24.3K R 400.1K

-10.20%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$125 R 2,062

-43.05%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$40.69 R 670

-65.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$42.56 R 701

-57.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$16.62 R 274

145.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.29 R 120

-21.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$206 R 3,386

49.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,363 R 71.8K

236.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$50.3 R 827

10.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$34.05 R 560

-23.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$92.4 R 1,522

-8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$80.3 R 1,321

-11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$364 R 5,994

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$434 R 7,147

-44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$447 R 7,362

78.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$722 R 11.9K

-29.80%

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

$2,008 R 33.1K

-70.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

-56.56%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Benoni: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $364 in Benoni. 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Benoni. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $179, 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 28% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,087 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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