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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,148 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,741 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,334 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 26% 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

$1.96 ฿64.1

$13.93 RON 63.6

-85.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$51.3 RON 234

-64.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$8.24 RON 37.64

-4.49%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.46 RON 15.83

-43.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.01 RON 9.17

-57.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$2.06 RON 9.41

-84.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.31 RON 15.14

-35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$3.86 RON 17.63

-4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.53 RON 6.99

8.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.34 RON 6.13

16.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.79 RON 8.16

-33.52%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$3.22 RON 14.72

-38.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$8.67 RON 39.63

87.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.93 RON 31.66

-54.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$12.22 RON 55.8

-11.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.14 RON 5.20

132.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.71 RON 7.81

-28.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.60 RON 7.30

3.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$2.52 RON 11.53

-38.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.02 RON 4.67

30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.04 RON 4.75

16.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.94 RON 4.30

-27.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.78 RON 3.56

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$5.77 RON 26.35

-18.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$7.96 RON 36.37

113.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.14 RON 5.20

59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.74 RON 7.94

82.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.72 RON 3.28

26.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$20.04 RON 91.6

-6.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.70 RON 3.21

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.65 RON 2.95

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.86 RON 31.32

18.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.59 RON 7.27

-19.50%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$28.2K RON 129.0K

-22.72%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$28.1K RON 128.3K

-20.21%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$163 RON 744

-56.75%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$8.18 RON 37.37

71.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$8.86 RON 40.46

99.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$41.78 RON 191

-1.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$18.93 RON 86.5

-64.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$9.00 RON 41.10

-33.78%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$448 RON 2,046

-32.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,685 RON 30.5K

123.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$68.2 RON 312

-19.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$42.62 RON 195

-38.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$89.5 RON 409

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$99.4 RON 454

-29.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$381 RON 1,740

12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$289 RON 1,320

-17.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$578 RON 2,639

40.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$439 RON 2,007

16.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,925 RON 8,792

5.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,361 RON 6,216

10.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$1,202 RON 5,491

-48.20%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bolintin-Vale: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $381 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 93% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Bolintin-Vale. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $224 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 35% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,722 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,148 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 $848, than in Bolintin-Vale at $1,148. 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 $848 versus $1,148 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.