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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,115 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,690 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,265 in Onesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Onesti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Onesti are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Onesti 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$11.27 RON 51.6

-81.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$43.42 RON 199

-54.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.53 RON 34.51

-24.70%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.96 RON 13.56

-38.85%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.22 RON 10.18

-65.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.83 RON 8.38

-80.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.37 RON 15.45

-34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.05 RON 18.56

-6.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.10 RON 5.04

86.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.37 RON 6.28

10.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$2.05 RON 9.41

-31.71%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.25 RON 14.91

-30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.71 RON 35.31

109.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.49 RON 29.74

-55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.17 RON 46.59

-7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.09 RON 4.98

145.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.56 RON 7.16

-30.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.81 RON 8.30

-10.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.21 RON 10.12

-33.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.94 RON 4.32

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.97 RON 4.45

9.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.23 RON 5.64

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.65 RON 2.96

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.75 RON 30.92

-37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$5.44 RON 24.92

236.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.37 RON 6.27

18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.15 RON 9.86

34.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.79 RON 3.60

11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$23.04 RON 106

133.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.86 RON 3.95

36.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.92 RON 4.23

-36.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$8.64 RON 39.56

-72.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.56 RON 7.15

-7.05%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.7K RON 136.1K

-29.27%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$29.3K RON 134.1K

-9.74%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$190 RON 868

-66.42%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$7.78 RON 35.64

65.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.08 RON 41.59

125.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$40.46 RON 185

-3.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.43 RON 98.2

-81.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.12 RON 41.80

-27.85%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$411 RON 1,882

90.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,467 RON 34.2K

96.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$39.66 RON 182

38.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$40.29 RON 185

-38.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$96.8 RON 444

-2.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$94.5 RON 433

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$403 RON 1,845

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$299 RON 1,368

-3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$624 RON 2,857

42.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$477 RON 2,185

9.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,914 RON 8,767

3.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,400 RON 6,413

3.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$663 RON 3,039

-9.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.18

-22.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Onesti: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $403 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 10% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Onesti. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 20% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,672 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $411 in Onesti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Onesti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Onesti at $1,115. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Onesti it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,115 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.