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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $706 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,099 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,492 in Bonao.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 21% more expensive than in Bonao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bonao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.59 DOP 325

-63.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.06 DOP 1,572

-30.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.00 DOP 291

57.20%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.00 DOP 116

1.50%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.02 DOP 59.4

-21.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.83 DOP 48.08

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.40 DOP 140

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.12 DOP 181

17.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.35 DOP 78.4

28.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.42 DOP 82.4

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.96 DOP 55.5

25.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.57 DOP 91.5

25.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.03 DOP 408

130.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.56 DOP 323

-44.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.07 DOP 643

-2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.26 DOP 131

22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.65 DOP 37.82

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.26 DOP 132

-24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.33 DOP 77.3

19.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.20 DOP 128

-36.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.14 DOP 66.3

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.76 DOP 44.38

-13.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.57 DOP 33.37

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.61 DOP 326

-17.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.23 DOP 420

145.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.37 DOP 137

-24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.26 DOP 189

2.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.53 DOP 31.06

71.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$27.16 DOP 1,578

-31.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.30 DOP 192

-57.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.10 DOP 122

-36.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.42 DOP 140

235.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.20 DOP 69.9

2.50%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

-19.22%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-32.51%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$76.8 DOP 4,460

-7.06%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$25.53 DOP 1,484

-45.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$34.39 DOP 1,998

-47.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$17.13 DOP 995

138.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.58 DOP 150

121.71%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$268 DOP 15.6K

14.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

83.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$60.5 DOP 3,514

-7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$51.0 DOP 2,964

-48.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$34.22 DOP 1,989

147.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$33.36 DOP 1,938

112.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$142 DOP 8,231

198.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$101 DOP 5,866

140.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$289 DOP 16.8K

175.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$215 DOP 12.5K

136.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $142 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 $244 vs $202, 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 21% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $706 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $1,059 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $142 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 46% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $268 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 21% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.