Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Benxi

For one person, living is cheaper in Benxi: $692 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Benxi
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Benxi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Benxi

🇨🇳 China

$692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $692 in Benxi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Benxi $692

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $991 in Benxi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Benxi $991

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,291 in Benxi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Benxi $1,291

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Benxi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Benxi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Benxi 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.04 ¥20.19

-26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$22.33 ¥148

-14.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.31 ¥35.25

4.52%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.40 ¥15.98

-30.42%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.51 ¥3.39

25.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.29 ¥1.89

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.73 ¥4.84

223.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.76 ¥11.69

107.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.85 ¥12.28

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.22 ¥8.08

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.84 ¥5.60

58.33%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.60 ¥10.65

42.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.00 ¥66.4

64.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.85 ¥18.92

-2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$8.92 ¥59.3

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.62 ¥10.74

45.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.38 ¥9.17

-29.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.62 ¥10.76

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.37 ¥9.12

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.58 ¥3.88

120.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.85 ¥12.26

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.61 ¥4.09

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.69 ¥4.57

-28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.97 ¥19.75

39.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$8.24 ¥54.7

112.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.58 ¥3.85

177.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.25 ¥8.30

122.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.31 ¥2.09

180.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$12.21 ¥81.1

343.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.88 ¥5.84

31.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.29 ¥1.91

82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.98 ¥19.82

-18.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.13 ¥7.53

28.32%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$19.8K ¥131.7K

6.28%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$18.0K ¥119.4K

49.93%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$54.4 ¥361

14.37%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$6.70 ¥44.51

81.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$10.41 ¥69.2

93.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$66.3 ¥441

-43.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$8.31 ¥55.2

-54.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.03 ¥40.08

7.63%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$449 ¥2,985

63.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$8,894 ¥59.1K

66.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$29.74 ¥198

79.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$32.77 ¥218

-24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$60.2 ¥400

51.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$52.4 ¥348

37.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$137 ¥907

253.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$189 ¥1,259

63.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$258 ¥1,711

290.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$153 ¥1,015

314.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$3,371 ¥22.4K

-29.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,941 ¥12.9K

-18.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$447 ¥2,971

31.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Benxi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Benxi

$189 27.4% 38.7% $120

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Benxi

$179 25.9% 23.6% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Benxi

$79 11.4% 27.5% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Benxi

$71 10.3% 24.3% $23

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Benxi

$79 11.5% 2.4% $1.9

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Benxi

$16 2.3% 74.3% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Benxi

$78 11.3% 55.9% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $137 in Benxi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Benxi. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $179 in Benxi – so Benxi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇳 Benxi

🕒 Local time

14:06 2:06 PM

15:06 3:06 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

809,655

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 6.64 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.42 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Benxi 3,430 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Benxi

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Benxi, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,039 in Benxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benxi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $137 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $449 in Benxi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $692, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Benxi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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