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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $670 in Higuey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,077 in Higuey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,485 in Higuey, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Higuey are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$4.58 DOP 276

-57.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$28.45 DOP 1,714

-35.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.11 DOP 308

46.77%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.21 DOP 133

-12.67%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.46 DOP 27.82

69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.44 DOP 26.49

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.92 DOP 116

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.91 DOP 175

27.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.00 DOP 60.5

71.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.05 DOP 63.4

48.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.81 DOP 49.03

45.68%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.45 DOP 87.1

36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$2.52 DOP 152

536.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$3.48 DOP 210

-8.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$4.95 DOP 298

121.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.33 DOP 201

-21.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$0.92 DOP 55.2

27.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.92 DOP 176

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.00 DOP 121

-23.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.97 DOP 58.3

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.36 DOP 142

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.14 DOP 68.5

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.82 DOP 49.32

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$4.12 DOP 248

9.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$11.28 DOP 679

62.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.66 DOP 99.7

8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.60 DOP 156

22.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$1.04 DOP 62.8

-13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$3.35 DOP 202

-57.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$2.19 DOP 132

-40.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.77 DOP 347

40.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.29 DOP 77.6

-0.78%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

-20.35%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

-31.19%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$50.3 DOP 3,030

37.57%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$25.54 DOP 1,538

-45.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$25.91 DOP 1,560

-30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$14.21 DOP 856

197.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$4.18 DOP 252

41.63%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$271 DOP 16.3K

10.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$7,996 DOP 481.6K

85.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$60.0 DOP 3,613

-6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$50.9 DOP 3,065

-47.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$96.7 DOP 5,822

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$115 DOP 6,901

-37.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$164 DOP 9,868

165.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$111 DOP 6,695

115.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$275 DOP 16.5K

190.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$214 DOP 12.9K

132.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Higuey: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $164 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $28 in Higuey. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $171 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 26% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,005 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 $18.00 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 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $670 in Higuey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Higuey costs $670 versus $845 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.