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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $959 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,936 in Onesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.00 RON 31.81

-70.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$37.57 RON 171

-50.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.60 RON 30.02

19.09%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.87 RON 8.49

8.56%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.09 RON 9.49

-61.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.67 RON 7.58

-79.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.03 RON 9.22

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.94 RON 13.39

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.14 RON 5.16

51.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.19 RON 5.42

31.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.88 RON 8.53

-36.17%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.92 RON 13.29

-32.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.09 RON 36.77

100.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.87 RON 31.22

-55.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.41 RON 51.9

-5.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.92 RON 4.19

201.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.52 RON 6.89

-23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.52 RON 6.91

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.88 RON 8.55

-15.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.78 RON 3.57

78.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.05 RON 4.77

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.00 RON 4.56

-34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.59 RON 2.70

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.63 RON 25.57

-17.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.59 RON 25.41

218.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.02 RON 4.62

75.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.52 RON 6.90

119.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.67 RON 3.06

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.13 RON 91.5

-7.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.18 RON 5.35

19.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.66 RON 2.99

103.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.07 RON 32.14

14.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.58 RON 7.17

-22.15%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.0K RON 127.2K

-23.40%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$25.6K RON 116.4K

-14.77%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$157 RON 715

-54.68%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.07 RON 36.70

73.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.47 RON 43.04

89.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.91 RON 191

-2.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$18.97 RON 86.2

-63.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.98 RON 31.71

-18.05%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$307 RON 1,398

0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$10.0K RON 45.5K

46.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$36.90 RON 168

51.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.27 RON 138

-13.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$74.7 RON 340

13.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$71.7 RON 326

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$389 RON 1,770

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$295 RON 1,343

-17.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$577 RON 2,622

38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$440 RON 2,001

15.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,994 RON 9,067

-3.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,406 RON 6,393

4.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$662 RON 3,011

-10.14%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Onesti: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $389 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 11% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Onesti. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $199 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 13% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,439 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $307 in Onesti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $959 in Onesti, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $959 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.