Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bonao Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bonao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $698 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,149 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,601 in Bonao.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 34% more expensive than in Bonao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bonao 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.06 DOP 591

-79.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$50.5 DOP 2,965

-61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.99 DOP 470

-29.04%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.02 DOP 119

-10.40%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.08 DOP 63.6

-28.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.69 DOP 40.44

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.60 DOP 153

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.58 DOP 210

5.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.05 DOP 61.7

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.04 DOP 61.0

45.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.69 DOP 40.47

102.90%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.19 DOP 70.1

89.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.19 DOP 305

211.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.53 DOP 325

-47.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.62 DOP 389

42.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.30 DOP 135

16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.67 DOP 39.30

62.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.75 DOP 161

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.40 DOP 82.2

4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.08 DOP 122

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.59 DOP 93.6

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.03 DOP 60.3

-30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.50 DOP 29.18

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.41 DOP 318

-21.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.43 DOP 437

146.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.15 DOP 126

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.00 DOP 176

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.55 DOP 32.26

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$34.22 DOP 2,011

57.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.22 DOP 189

-63.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$2.22 DOP 131

-73.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.40 DOP 141

-0.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.37 DOP 80.5

5.84%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.7K DOP 1.4M

-11.53%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.3K DOP 2.0M

-22.99%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$95.4 DOP 5,603

-33.25%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$32.04 DOP 1,883

-59.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$37.04 DOP 2,177

-44.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.69 DOP 452

-14.43%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$262 DOP 15.4K

199.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,398 DOP 434.7K

98.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$45.98 DOP 2,702

19.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$47.44 DOP 2,788

-47.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$88.6 DOP 5,207

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$129 DOP 7,563

-42.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.56

-58.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bonao: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $50.0 in Bonao. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $176, with Bonao cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bonao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Bonao differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $698 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $1,046 in Bonao to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 57% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Bonao versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bonao 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 Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.