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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $982 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,458 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,934 in Onesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Onesti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Onesti are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Onesti 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$6.76 RON 30.88

-71.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$36.45 RON 167

-49.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$6.40 RON 29.23

22.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.88 RON 8.57

3.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.01 RON 9.20

-57.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$1.67 RON 7.64

-80.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.09 RON 9.55

2.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.98 RON 13.59

23.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.13 RON 5.18

46.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.15 RON 5.23

35.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.96 RON 8.97

-39.29%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.85 RON 13.02

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$8.29 RON 37.86

95.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.72 RON 30.71

-52.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$11.45 RON 52.3

-5.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$0.96 RON 4.39

176.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.57 RON 7.19

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.52 RON 6.95

8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.89 RON 8.62

-17.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.79 RON 3.60

68.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.09 RON 5.00

11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$1.01 RON 4.61

-32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.64 RON 2.91

-10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$5.56 RON 25.39

-15.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$5.50 RON 25.13

208.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.01 RON 4.60

80.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.49 RON 6.79

113.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.71 RON 3.23

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$19.87 RON 90.8

-5.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.17 RON 5.34

20.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.62 RON 2.83

116.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.81 RON 31.09

19.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.55 RON 7.09

-17.42%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$27.5K RON 125.5K

-20.53%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$25.4K RON 116.3K

-11.97%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$159 RON 725

-55.57%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$7.91 RON 36.16

77.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$9.65 RON 44.10

82.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$41.15 RON 188

0.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$19.05 RON 87.1

-64.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.97 RON 31.83

-14.49%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$299 RON 1,368

1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$9,984 RON 45.6K

49.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$37.86 RON 173

44.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$29.84 RON 136

-11.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$72.7 RON 332

18.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$73.6 RON 336

-5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$381 RON 1,739

12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$295 RON 1,346

-18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$584 RON 2,670

38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$432 RON 1,971

18.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,894 RON 8,652

6.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,386 RON 6,331

8.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$659 RON 3,009

-5.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

-29.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Onesti: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $381 in Onesti. 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 6% higher in Onesti, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Onesti. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Onesti – so Onesti 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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Onesti costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,473 in Onesti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $299 in Onesti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Onesti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $982 in Onesti, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $982 in Onesti. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Onesti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.