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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $552 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $859 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,165 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Ongata Rongai 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$5.47 KES 708

-61.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$19.36 KES 2,505

2.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$6.15 KES 796

-4.88%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.95 KES 252

-9.74%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.30 KES 38.48

146.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.38 KES 48.96

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.37 KES 307

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.64 KES 341

46.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.51 KES 65.9

272.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.50 KES 64.2

234.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.29 KES 167

4.65%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.33 KES 172

60.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$4.37 KES 565

263.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$3.50 KES 453

-19.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$3.53 KES 457

198.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.26 KES 163

88.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$0.98 KES 127

9.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.17 KES 152

29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$0.60 KES 77.7

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.75 KES 97.4

70.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.44 KES 57.2

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.65 KES 83.8

6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.45 KES 58.0

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.26 KES 292

88.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$9.08 KES 1,174

84.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$2.31 KES 299

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.71 KES 351

3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$1.52 KES 197

-21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.52 KES 197

-64.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$2.92 KES 378

-18.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.56 KES 202

-8.33%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$19.2K KES 2.5M

9.81%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

38.56%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$57.2 KES 7,398

13.24%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$15.38 KES 1,990

-14.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$34.05 KES 4,406

-42.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.66 KES 991

-13.58%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$238 KES 30.7K

239.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$11.0K KES 1.4M

37.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$27.22 KES 3,522

101.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$25.02 KES 3,237

1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$63.9 KES 8,273

43.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$60.8 KES 7,865

22.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$152 KES 19.7K

206.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$114 KES 14.7K

147.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$230 KES 29.7K

287.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$232 KES 30.0K

124.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $152 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $128 – making Ongata Rongai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 67% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $829 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 $20.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ongata Rongai, where all-in costs run around $552, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Ongata Rongai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ongata Rongai costs $552 versus $920 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.