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 $1,141 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,738 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,335 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 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$14.00 RON 63.7

-85.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$50.6 RON 230

-62.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.28 RON 37.62

-5.07%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.40 RON 15.48

-40.29%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.94 RON 8.82

-58.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.03 RON 9.25

-82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.23 RON 14.69

-33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.02 RON 18.27

-8.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.49 RON 6.80

16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.29 RON 5.86

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.77 RON 8.07

-32.20%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.33 RON 15.16

-40.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.58 RON 39.03

89.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.92 RON 31.47

-55.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.91 RON 54.1

-9.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.17 RON 5.32

136.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.67 RON 7.59

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.62 RON 7.38

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.53 RON 11.50

-37.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.93 RON 4.24

49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.04 RON 4.71

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.87 RON 3.95

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.78 RON 3.53

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.72 RON 26.02

-18.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.77 RON 35.33

128.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.10 RON 4.99

62.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.72 RON 7.81

94.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.70 RON 3.19

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.91 RON 90.5

-6.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.71 RON 3.22

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.66 RON 2.98

103.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.72 RON 30.54

20.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.62 RON 7.36

-24.07%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$27.6K RON 125.6K

-22.43%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.9K RON 126.9K

-21.80%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$167 RON 759

-57.26%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.91 RON 35.98

77.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.22 RON 41.93

94.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.59 RON 189

-1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.49 RON 88.6

-64.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$9.30 RON 42.26

-38.49%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$449 RON 2,040

-31.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,599 RON 30.0K

122.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$67.9 RON 309

-17.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.75 RON 199

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$91.0 RON 414

-6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$97.2 RON 442

-27.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$392 RON 1,782

8.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$292 RON 1,328

-17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$588 RON 2,672

35.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$439 RON 1,994

15.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,971 RON 8,962

-2.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,436 RON 6,529

1.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,206 RON 5,484

-50.67%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bolintin-Vale: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $392 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 103% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $221 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 34% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,711 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 $1,141 in Bolintin-Vale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $1,141. 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 $1,141 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.