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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $662 in Higuey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,052 in Higuey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,443 in Higuey, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Higuey are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.77 DOP 277

-57.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$28.42 DOP 1,651

-34.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.12 DOP 298

53.52%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.21 DOP 128

-8.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.46 DOP 26.61

73.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.40 DOP 23.44

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.92 DOP 111

11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.01 DOP 175

21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.04 DOP 60.7

66.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.00 DOP 58.4

57.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.87 DOP 50.5

37.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.51 DOP 87.7

30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$2.62 DOP 152

519.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.44 DOP 200

-11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.97 DOP 289

117.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.19 DOP 185

-13.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.87 DOP 50.7

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.99 DOP 173

-42.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.01 DOP 117

-20.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.91 DOP 52.8

52.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.28 DOP 133

-49.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.10 DOP 63.7

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.84 DOP 48.74

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.19 DOP 244

10.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$10.84 DOP 630

64.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.72 DOP 99.9

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.48 DOP 144

34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.05 DOP 60.8

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.50 DOP 203

-59.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.12 DOP 123

-36.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.03 DOP 350

34.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.31 DOP 76.3

-6.11%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

-18.10%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

-30.91%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$50.8 DOP 2,952

40.44%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$25.82 DOP 1,501

-45.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$26.03 DOP 1,512

-31.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$14.20 DOP 825

187.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.31 DOP 251

32.71%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$262 DOP 15.2K

17.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

81.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$59.7 DOP 3,467

-6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$52.4 DOP 3,042

-50.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$97.3 DOP 5,652

-12.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$116 DOP 6,749

-38.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$158 DOP 9,210

167.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$109 DOP 6,360

121.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$275 DOP 16.0K

189.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$208 DOP 12.1K

143.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

-1.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

14.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$466 DOP 27.1K

27.79%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Higuey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $158 in Higuey. 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 28% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Higuey. Groceries tell a different story – $244 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 29% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $993 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 $28.00 in Higuey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $662 in Higuey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Higuey costs $662 versus $852 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.