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 $983 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,459 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,935 in Onesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Onesti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Onesti are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Onesti 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.09 RON 30.89

-72.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$36.66 RON 160

-48.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.50 RON 28.34

21.85%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.92 RON 8.39

-0.52%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.99 RON 8.69

-57.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.60 RON 6.97

-78.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.11 RON 9.21

4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.01 RON 13.14

26.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.13 RON 4.91

45.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.18 RON 5.15

37.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.99 RON 8.67

-40.70%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.92 RON 12.72

-31.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.87 RON 34.31

101.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.82 RON 29.75

-55.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.16 RON 48.65

-3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.97 RON 4.23

169.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.57 RON 6.82

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.44 RON 6.28

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.87 RON 8.17

-15.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.84 RON 3.65

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.06 RON 4.63

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.05 RON 4.57

-36.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.65 RON 2.82

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.69 RON 24.82

-20.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.78 RON 25.19

214.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.95 RON 4.14

92.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.47 RON 6.40

119.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.70 RON 3.07

27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.91 RON 86.8

-2.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.17 RON 5.10

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.60 RON 2.61

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.77 RON 29.52

21.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.62 RON 7.04

-21.60%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.4K RON 123.7K

-25.45%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.4K RON 110.6K

-11.32%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$161 RON 703

-56.50%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.00 RON 34.90

72.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.65 RON 42.07

82.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.75 RON 182

-0.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.21 RON 83.7

-65.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.78 RON 29.55

-14.75%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$305 RON 1,332

0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$9,768 RON 42.6K

51.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$37.53 RON 164

44.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$30.43 RON 133

-14.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$72.9 RON 318

15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$74.1 RON 323

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$387 RON 1,688

9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$292 RON 1,273

-18.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$597 RON 2,602

38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$431 RON 1,879

19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,781 RON 7,764

15.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,374 RON 5,989

10.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$687 RON 2,993

-7.48%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Onesti: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $387 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 8% 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 $37.00 in Onesti. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 15% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,475 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $305 in Onesti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% 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 $983 in Onesti, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $983 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.