Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bogo City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bogo City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $760 in Bogo City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,178 in Bogo City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,596 in Bogo City.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 14% more expensive than Bogo City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bogo City 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.52 ₱279

-57.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$15.30 ₱944

21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$2.61 ₱161

199.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.75 ₱108

11.43%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.46 ₱28.49

84.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.34 ₱20.74

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.58 ₱97.2

34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.38 ₱84.9

170.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.76 ₱109

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.19 ₱73.3

36.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.91 ₱56.1

25.27%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.26 ₱140

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.78 ₱665

50.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.65 ₱225

-14.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.79 ₱296

127.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.70 ₱166

1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.45 ₱89.4

-16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.41 ₱210

-52.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.29 ₱141

-30.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.55 ₱95.7

-9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.72 ₱106

-31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.97 ₱60.1

-31.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.50 ₱31.09

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.17 ₱195

47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.28 ₱387

197.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.21 ₱74.8

48.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.81 ₱112

78.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.26 ₱15.94

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.83 ₱51.3

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.23 ₱14.16

460.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.73 ₱169

187.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.11 ₱68.4

14.41%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$29.6K ₱1.8M

-28.16%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.3K ₱1.7M

-18.61%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$98.5 ₱6,071

-29.84%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$34.75 ₱2,143

-59.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$29.71 ₱1,832

-39.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$34.56 ₱2,131

18.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.52 ₱278

53.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.45 ₱336

8.62%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$232 ₱14.3K

28.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,906 ₱240.8K

282.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$46.15 ₱2,846

18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$22.71 ₱1,401

17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.1 ₱4,633

13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$56.4 ₱3,477

25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$265 ₱16.3K

61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$176 ₱10.8K

35.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$592 ₱36.5K

35.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$389 ₱24.0K

32.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,518 ₱155.2K

-21.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,104 ₱68.1K

33.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$165 ₱10.1K

275.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bogo City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $265 in Bogo City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 275% 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 $15.00 in Bogo City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $195 per month, with Bogo City cheaper across the board.

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 Bogo City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bogo City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 275% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $265 in Bogo City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $760 in Bogo City – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bogo City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bogo City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bogo City 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 Bogo City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.