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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $695 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,087 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,480 in Bonao.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 25% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bonao 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.60 DOP 328

-64.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$26.70 DOP 1,564

-29.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.98 DOP 292

55.62%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.97 DOP 116

-2.54%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.00 DOP 58.5

-21.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.84 DOP 49.08

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.44 DOP 143

-9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.12 DOP 183

17.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.38 DOP 80.8

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.41 DOP 82.8

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.95 DOP 55.4

25.26%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.60 DOP 93.9

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.17 DOP 420

122.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.55 DOP 325

-45.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.70 DOP 627

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.34 DOP 137

17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.60 DOP 35.19

96.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.21 DOP 130

-25.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.32 DOP 77.4

15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.21 DOP 129

-37.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.15 DOP 67.1

3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.80 DOP 47.12

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.57 DOP 33.13

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.67 DOP 332

-19.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.22 DOP 423

129.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.48 DOP 145

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.26 DOP 191

-1.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.55 DOP 32.04

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$26.88 DOP 1,574

-30.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.38 DOP 198

-59.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.20 DOP 129

-39.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.49 DOP 146

214.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.27 DOP 74.1

-3.15%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-19.57%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

-27.45%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$74.8 DOP 4,384

-5.73%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$25.29 DOP 1,482

-45.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$34.04 DOP 1,994

-48.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$17.29 DOP 1,013

139.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.59 DOP 152

122.78%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$264 DOP 15.5K

16.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

80.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$60.8 DOP 3,564

-8.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$51.8 DOP 3,034

-49.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$34.31 DOP 2,010

149.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$34.16 DOP 2,001

111.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$147 DOP 8,582

193.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$102 DOP 5,992

133.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$292 DOP 17.1K

179.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$215 DOP 12.6K

137.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bonao: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $147 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Bonao. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $203, 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 25% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $695 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $1,042 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $147 in Bonao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 44% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $264 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bonao gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 25% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.