Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bolintin-Vale Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bolintin-Vale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,175 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,851 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,526 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Bolintin-Vale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bolintin-Vale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bolintin-Vale 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$14.18 RON 64.9

-85.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$54.4 RON 249

-63.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.76 RON 35.55

-26.93%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.73 RON 17.07

-51.47%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.50 RON 11.47

-69.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$2.34 RON 10.73

-85.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.25 RON 14.90

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.50 RON 20.60

-15.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.80 RON 8.24

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.46 RON 6.67

3.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.81 RON 8.30

-22.65%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.56 RON 16.29

-36.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.18 RON 42.06

76.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.06 RON 32.34

-58.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.26 RON 56.2

-23.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.52 RON 6.98

76.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.64 RON 7.53

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.60 RON 7.35

1.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.76 RON 12.65

-47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.83 RON 3.79

54.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.90 RON 4.13

17.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.86 RON 3.93

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.91 RON 4.16

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.55 RON 29.99

-35.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$7.56 RON 34.64

141.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.28 RON 5.84

27.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.78 RON 8.17

62.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.75 RON 3.44

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$22.81 RON 104

135.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.68 RON 3.09

72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.69 RON 3.14

-15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.61 RON 30.26

-63.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.92 RON 8.78

-24.48%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.3K RON 134.3K

-28.35%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$28.0K RON 128.1K

-5.53%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$189 RON 868

-66.40%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.41 RON 38.52

53.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.90 RON 45.36

107.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$39.69 RON 182

-1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.65 RON 99.2

-81.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$10.26 RON 46.99

-35.87%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$559 RON 2,560

40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$13.0K RON 59.7K

12.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$87.5 RON 401

-37.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$40.68 RON 186

-39.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.0 RON 357

20.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$93.5 RON 428

-20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$410 RON 1,879

19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$303 RON 1,387

-4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$634 RON 2,902

40.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$462 RON 2,118

12.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,920 RON 8,794

2.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,399 RON 6,411

3.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,212 RON 5,553

-50.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bolintin-Vale: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $410 in Bolintin-Vale. 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 101% higher in Bolintin-Vale, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Bolintin-Vale. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Bolintin-Vale – so Bolintin-Vale wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bolintin-Vale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bolintin-Vale costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,763 in Bolintin-Vale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $932 in Chiang Mai and $1,175 in Bolintin-Vale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Bolintin-Vale at $1,175. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bolintin-Vale it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,175 in Bolintin-Vale. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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