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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,129 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,746 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,362 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Bolintin-Vale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bolintin-Vale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bolintin-Vale 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.74 RON 59.9

-85.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$51.2 RON 223

-63.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.15 RON 35.54

-2.82%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.44 RON 15.02

-44.48%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.91 RON 8.32

-56.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.01 RON 8.78

-82.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.14 RON 13.68

-29.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.93 RON 17.13

-3.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.48 RON 6.44

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.31 RON 5.71

23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.76 RON 7.66

-32.95%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.28 RON 14.28

-38.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.84 RON 38.55

79.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.85 RON 29.86

-56.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.20 RON 53.2

-11.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.18 RON 5.16

121.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.70 RON 7.40

-28.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.53 RON 6.69

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.51 RON 10.92

-37.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.02 RON 4.43

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.98 RON 4.26

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.95 RON 4.13

-29.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.84 RON 3.64

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.04 RON 26.35

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.11 RON 31.02

155.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.15 RON 5.02

59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.67 RON 7.28

93.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.66 RON 2.88

34.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.45 RON 84.8

-0.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.72 RON 3.12

87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.65 RON 2.84

107.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.08 RON 30.86

16.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.60 RON 6.98

-20.63%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.3K RON 123.2K

-25.15%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.7K RON 120.8K

-18.86%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$168 RON 732

-58.20%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.99 RON 34.85

72.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.22 RON 40.21

90.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.61 RON 181

-0.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.51 RON 85.1

-66.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$9.11 RON 39.71

-36.55%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$445 RON 1,939

-31.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,623 RON 28.9K

123.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$67.8 RON 295

-19.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$42.48 RON 185

-38.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$88.8 RON 387

-4.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$100.0 RON 436

-30.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$389 RON 1,695

9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$287 RON 1,249

-16.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$594 RON 2,588

38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$435 RON 1,897

18.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,834 RON 7,997

11.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,383 RON 6,028

10.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,243 RON 5,419

-48.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

-29.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bolintin-Vale: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $389 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 96% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Bolintin-Vale. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $222 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 32% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,693 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,129 in Bolintin-Vale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% 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 $852, than in Bolintin-Vale at $1,129. 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 $852 versus $1,129 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.