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 $670 per month in Higuey vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Higuey vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,485 per month in Higuey vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Higuey is about 21% 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 DOP 275

$1.95 ฿62.6

134.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.45 DOP 1,710

$18.43 ฿591

54.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 DOP 307

$7.50 ฿241

-31.87%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 133

$1.93 ฿62.0

14.51%

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

$0.46 DOP 27.76

$0.78 ฿24.98

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 DOP 26.43

$0.32 ฿10.38

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 115

$2.15 ฿68.9

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 DOP 175

$3.71 ฿119

-21.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DOP 60.4

$1.71 ฿55.0

-41.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 DOP 63.3

$1.56 ฿50.1

-32.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 48.93

$1.18 ฿37.91

-31.36%

Eggs

$1.45 DOP 86.9

$1.98 ฿63.6

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.52 DOP 151

$16.04 ฿515

-84.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 DOP 209

$3.17 ฿102

9.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 DOP 297

$10.94 ฿351

-54.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 DOP 200

$2.63 ฿84.3

26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 55.1

$1.17 ฿37.45

-21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 DOP 176

$1.65 ฿52.8

76.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 DOP 120

$1.54 ฿49.31

29.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 DOP 58.1

$1.38 ฿44.16

-29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 142

$1.17 ฿37.39

101.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 68.3

$0.66 ฿21.16

72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 49.21

$0.51 ฿16.48

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 DOP 248

$4.52 ฿145

-8.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 DOP 678

$18.32 ฿588

-38.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 DOP 99.5

$1.80 ฿57.7

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 156

$3.18 ฿102

-18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 62.7

$0.90 ฿28.85

15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 201

$1.41 ฿45.32

137.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 132

$1.31 ฿41.98

67.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 DOP 347

$8.09 ฿260

-28.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 77.4

$1.28 ฿40.92

0.78%

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

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

$21.3K ฿683.3K

25.55%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$21.7K ฿696.5K

45.32%

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

$50.3 DOP 3,023

$69.2 ฿2,221

-27.31%

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

$25.54 DOP 1,535

$13.97 ฿448

82.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.91 DOP 1,557

$17.95 ฿576

44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.21 DOP 854

$42.31 ฿1,358

-66.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 DOP 251

$5.92 ฿190

-29.39%

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

$271 DOP 16.3K

$299 ฿9,601

-9.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 480.6K

$14.8K ฿476.5K

-46.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 DOP 3,605

$56.2 ฿1,803

6.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 DOP 3,059

$26.94 ฿864

88.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 DOP 5,809

$84.9 ฿2,724

13.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,886

$71.8 ฿2,305

59.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 DOP 9,847

$435 ฿14.0K

-62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 DOP 6,681

$240 ฿7,696

-53.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.5K

$798 ฿25.6K

-65.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 DOP 12.9K

$498 ฿16.0K

-57.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $164 in Higuey versus $435 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 $28 in Higuey versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Higuey vs $244 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 26% 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 $1,005 per month in Higuey and $1,267 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 $28.00 in Higuey and $18.00 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 $670 in Higuey and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Higuey costs $670 versus $845 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.