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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Onesti vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,459 per month in Onesti vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,935 per month in Onesti vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Onesti costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Onesti and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Onesti 27% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 RON 30.89

$1.96 ฿64.0

261.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.66 RON 160

$18.81 ฿615

94.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 RON 28.34

$7.92 ฿259

-17.93%

Cappuccino

$1.92 RON 8.39

$1.91 ฿62.6

0.52%

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

$1.99 RON 8.69

$0.84 ฿27.41

136.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RON 6.97

$0.35 ฿11.51

357.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 RON 9.21

$2.21 ฿72.1

-4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 RON 13.14

$3.80 ฿124

-20.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 RON 4.91

$1.64 ฿53.5

-31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 RON 5.15

$1.62 ฿53.1

-27.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 RON 8.67

$1.18 ฿38.62

68.64%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 12.72

$2.01 ฿65.8

45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RON 34.31

$15.89 ฿520

-50.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 29.75

$3.01 ฿98.5

126.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 RON 48.65

$10.77 ฿352

3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.23

$2.61 ฿85.5

-62.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.82

$1.22 ฿39.88

28.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.28

$1.70 ฿55.7

-15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.17

$1.58 ฿51.5

18.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.65

$1.32 ฿43.14

-36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.63

$1.17 ฿38.23

-9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.57

$0.67 ฿21.98

56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RON 2.82

$0.56 ฿18.32

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 24.82

$4.53 ฿148

25.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 RON 25.19

$18.20 ฿595

-68.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.14

$1.83 ฿60.0

-48.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 RON 6.40

$3.23 ฿106

-54.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.07

$0.89 ฿29.00

-21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.91 RON 86.8

$19.38 ฿634

2.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 RON 5.10

$1.35 ฿44.20

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.61

$1.35 ฿44.05

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 RON 29.52

$8.25 ฿270

-17.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.04

$1.27 ฿41.64

27.56%

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

$28.4K RON 123.7K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

34.13%

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

$25.4K RON 110.6K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

12.77%

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

$161 RON 703

$70.2 ฿2,294

129.91%

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

$8.00 RON 34.90

$13.77 ฿450

-41.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.65 RON 42.07

$17.60 ฿575

-45.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 RON 182

$41.57 ฿1,360

0.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 RON 83.7

$6.60 ฿216

191.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 RON 29.55

$5.78 ฿189

17.30%

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

$305 RON 1,332

$306 ฿10.0K

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,768 RON 42.6K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-34.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.53 RON 164

$54.4 ฿1,778

-30.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.43 RON 133

$26.14 ฿855

16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 RON 318

$84.5 ฿2,764

-13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 RON 323

$69.4 ฿2,270

6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,688

$424 ฿13.9K

-8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,273

$238 ฿7,788

22.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 RON 2,602

$825 ฿27.0K

-27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RON 1,879

$515 ฿16.8K

-16.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,781 RON 7,764

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-13.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 RON 5,989

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-9.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$687 RON 2,993

$635 ฿20.8K

8.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

42.20%

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

Last update for Onesti: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Onesti versus $424 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.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Onesti, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Onesti versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Onesti vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Onesti 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

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

Onesti costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,475 per month in Onesti and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Onesti and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Onesti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $983 in Onesti and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $983 in Onesti. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Onesti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.