🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,097 in Benoni.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $2,409 in Benoni.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $3,721 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 Mai36% lower, Benoni18% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$8.47R 142
-76.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$34.00R 570
-44.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$4.62R 77.5
71.43%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$2.05R 34.43
-6.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$1.01R 16.94
-16.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.78R 13.14
-55.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$2.22R 37.21
-0.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$2.56R 43.00
48.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.15R 19.24
42.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$1.02R 17.10
58.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.73R 29.00
-31.79%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.49R 41.78
-19.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$7.87R 132
101.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$4.65R 78.0
-35.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$6.34R 106
69.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$1.67R 28.04
56.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.53R 25.73
-20.26%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$1.49R 25.04
14.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$1.65R 27.71
-4.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$1.32R 22.10
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$1.17R 19.68
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$1.09R 18.23
-38.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.88R 14.70
-36.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$3.16R 53.0
43.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$5.19R 87.1
250.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.32R 22.12
38.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$1.60R 26.88
101.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$1.66R 27.91
-46.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$1.15R 19.26
17.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$0.95R 15.93
42.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$3.13R 52.4
163.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$1.29R 21.59
-1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$22.4KR 375.6K
-5.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$23.5KR 394.6K
-4.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$124R 2,077
-43.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$40.14R 673
-65.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$43.03R 722
-59.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$16.47R 276
152.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$7.27R 122
-20.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$211R 3,540
45.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$4,372R 73.3K
239.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$51.2R 858
6.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$33.05R 554
-20.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$89.4R 1,499
-5.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$78.4R 1,314
-11.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$366R 6,136
15.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$434R 7,272
-45.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$441R 7,401
86.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$2,383R 40.0K
-78.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$824R 13.8K
148.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$1,031R 17.3K
47.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Benoni
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
$1,907R 32.0K
-66.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
11.51
-56.56%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Benoni: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $366 in Benoni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Benoni pays 200% 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 $243 vs $178, with Benoni cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Benoni: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Chiang Mai and Benoni?
Chiang Mai and Benoni differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,097 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Benoni earns 200% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Chiang Mai and Benoni?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $366 in Benoni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Benoni pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Chiang Mai or Benoni?
All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,097 in Benoni – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How far does $800 go in Chiang Mai vs Benoni?
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.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Benoni?
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.
Is Chiang Mai or Benoni safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Chiang Mai or Benoni?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado