Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ongata Rongai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ongata Rongai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $534 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $840 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ongata Rongai 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.31 KES 688

-62.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.98 KES 2,461

-0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.00 KES 908

10.71%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.96 KES 254

-2.04%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.30 KES 38.63

163.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.41 KES 52.8

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.37 KES 308

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.96 KES 384

23.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.55 KES 70.7

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.49 KES 63.9

232.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.28 KES 167

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.36 KES 177

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.18 KES 542

282.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.57 KES 463

-15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$3.54 KES 459

206.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.26 KES 163

119.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.04 KES 135

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.18 KES 154

38.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.64 KES 83.4

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.75 KES 97.2

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.48 KES 62.5

147.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.64 KES 82.8

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.48 KES 62.4

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.30 KES 298

99.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.31 KES 1,207

77.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.28 KES 296

-19.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.68 KES 347

19.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.57 KES 203

-13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.36 KES 176

-1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.88 KES 373

172.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.59 KES 206

-22.64%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

1.19%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

13.04%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.17 KES 4,430

106.44%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.85 KES 2,185

-18.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$39.20 KES 5,082

-55.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.11 KES 792

-5.56%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$204 KES 26.4K

50.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,009 KES 1.0M

82.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$18.31 KES 2,374

204.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$23.90 KES 3,099

9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$64.4 KES 8,350

33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$57.6 KES 7,463

25.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$156 KES 20.3K

174.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$115 KES 14.9K

108.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$229 KES 29.7K

257.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$235 KES 30.4K

117.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-66.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $156 in Ongata Rongai. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $129 in Ongata Rongai – so Ongata Rongai 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 Ongata Rongai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Ongata Rongai, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $800 in Ongata Rongai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ongata Rongai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $534 in Ongata Rongai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ongata Rongai costs $534 versus $869 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 Ongata Rongai. 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.