Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Higuey vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,063 per month in Higuey vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,461 per month in Higuey vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Higuey is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Higuey and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Higuey 50% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 DOP 267

$1.98 ฿65.0

132.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.81 DOP 1,672

$18.80 ฿619

53.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 290

$7.75 ฿255

-35.48%

Cappuccino

$2.24 DOP 130

$1.92 ฿63.2

16.67%

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

$0.49 DOP 28.44

$0.79 ฿26.07

-37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 DOP 25.07

$0.36 ฿11.74

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 DOP 109

$2.21 ฿72.9

-14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 DOP 169

$3.66 ฿120

-20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 60.7

$1.65 ฿54.4

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 DOP 61.2

$1.63 ฿53.7

-34.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.05

$1.19 ฿39.28

-31.93%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.00 ฿65.8

-24.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 DOP 146

$15.98 ฿526

-84.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.03 ฿99.6

10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 289

$10.86 ฿357

-54.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 184

$2.76 ฿90.9

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.30

$1.18 ฿38.83

-27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 175

$1.64 ฿54.0

84.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 112

$1.52 ฿50.0

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 DOP 52.3

$1.38 ฿45.59

-34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 138

$1.19 ฿39.25

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.0

$0.70 ฿23.11

55.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 DOP 50.6

$0.56 ฿18.32

55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 DOP 244

$4.58 ฿151

-8.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 DOP 624

$16.56 ฿545

-35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 DOP 101

$1.83 ฿60.2

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 152

$3.20 ฿105

-18.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 60.4

$0.88 ฿28.87

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 200

$1.36 ฿44.64

153.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 127

$1.34 ฿44.12

63.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 DOP 337

$7.84 ฿258

-26.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 74.1

$1.23 ฿40.35

4.07%

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

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

$21.6K ฿711.8K

24.75%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

$22.5K ฿742.2K

39.84%

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

$51.2 DOP 2,969

$70.5 ฿2,322

-27.49%

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

$25.39 DOP 1,474

$13.68 ฿450

85.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 DOP 1,520

$17.45 ฿574

50.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 DOP 848

$41.33 ฿1,361

-64.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 DOP 245

$5.77 ฿190

-26.86%

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

$268 DOP 15.5K

$307 ฿10.1K

-12.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 469.5K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-44.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 DOP 3,475

$55.8 ฿1,837

7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,958

$26.21 ฿863

94.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 DOP 5,597

$85.8 ฿2,823

12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,746

$72.2 ฿2,378

60.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DOP 9,210

$430 ฿14.1K

-63.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,311

$239 ฿7,857

-54.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 DOP 16.3K

$817 ฿26.9K

-65.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 DOP 12.4K

$511 ฿16.8K

-58.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

145.00%

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

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $159 in Higuey versus $430 in Chiang Mai. 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 $29.00 in Higuey versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Higuey vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Higuey 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

Higuey vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Higuey, 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 $999 per month in Higuey and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Higuey, 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 $29.00 in Higuey and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $666 in Higuey and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Higuey costs $666 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 Higuey. 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.