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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $528 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $837 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,145 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ongata Rongai 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.47 KES 706

-64.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$19.55 KES 2,524

-3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.92 KES 893

14.45%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.96 KES 253

-2.55%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.30 KES 38.47

180.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.38 KES 48.75

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.36 KES 304

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.95 KES 380

28.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.50 KES 64.1

228.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.47 KES 60.1

244.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.29 KES 166

-8.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.32 KES 170

52.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$4.38 KES 566

262.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.38 KES 436

-10.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$3.53 KES 455

205.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.23 KES 159

112.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.04 KES 135

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.17 KES 151

45.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.64 KES 82.2

146.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.79 KES 102

67.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.48 KES 62.0

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.69 KES 89.0

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.48 KES 61.5

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.31 KES 298

96.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.32 KES 1,203

95.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.22 KES 287

-17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.71 KES 349

19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.58 KES 203

-14.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.35 KES 174

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.96 KES 381

178.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.58 KES 204

-19.62%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.3K KES 2.7M

-0.58%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.3K KES 2.6M

10.60%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$34.74 KES 4,484

101.93%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.61 KES 2,144

-17.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$39.23 KES 5,063

-55.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.11 KES 788

-5.40%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$203 KES 26.2K

50.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,013 KES 1.0M

85.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$18.27 KES 2,358

197.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$24.24 KES 3,128

7.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$65.5 KES 8,456

29.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$56.4 KES 7,275

23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$154 KES 19.9K

174.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$116 KES 15.0K

105.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$235 KES 30.3K

251.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$235 KES 30.4K

118.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $154 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 $20.00 in Ongata Rongai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $128 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 61% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $792 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 $20.00 in Ongata Rongai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $528 in Ongata Rongai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ongata Rongai costs $528 versus $852 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.