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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $666 in Higuey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,063 in Higuey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,461 in Higuey, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Higuey are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$4.60 DOP 267

-56.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$28.81 DOP 1,672

-34.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$5.00 DOP 290

55.00%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.24 DOP 130

-14.29%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.49 DOP 28.44

61.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.43 DOP 25.07

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.89 DOP 109

16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.92 DOP 169

25.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.05 DOP 60.7

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.06 DOP 61.2

53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$0.81 DOP 47.05

46.91%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$1.51 DOP 87.7

32.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$2.51 DOP 146

536.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$3.34 DOP 194

-9.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$4.98 DOP 289

118.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$3.18 DOP 184

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$0.85 DOP 49.30

38.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$3.02 DOP 175

-45.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$1.93 DOP 112

-21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$0.90 DOP 52.3

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$2.38 DOP 138

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.09 DOP 63.0

-35.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.87 DOP 50.6

-35.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$4.20 DOP 244

9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$10.75 DOP 624

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.74 DOP 101

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.62 DOP 152

22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$1.04 DOP 60.4

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$3.45 DOP 200

-60.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$2.19 DOP 127

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$5.80 DOP 337

35.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.28 DOP 74.1

-3.91%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

-19.84%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

-28.49%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$51.2 DOP 2,969

37.91%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$25.39 DOP 1,474

-46.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$26.20 DOP 1,520

-33.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$14.60 DOP 848

183.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$4.22 DOP 245

36.73%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$268 DOP 15.5K

14.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$8,089 DOP 469.5K

80.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$59.9 DOP 3,475

-6.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$51.0 DOP 2,958

-48.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$96.4 DOP 5,597

-11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$116 DOP 6,746

-37.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$159 DOP 9,210

170.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$109 DOP 6,311

119.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$281 DOP 16.3K

190.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$213 DOP 12.4K

139.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

-59.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $159 in Higuey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Higuey. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $170 in Higuey – so Higuey 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 Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Higuey, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $999 in Higuey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Higuey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Higuey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $666 in Higuey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Higuey costs $666 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Higuey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.