Cost of Living Comparison Between Ongata Rongai and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ongata Rongai and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $552 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

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

Ongata Rongai is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 708

$2.11 ฿69.1

159.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.36 KES 2,505

$19.75 ฿648

-1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 KES 796

$5.85 ฿192

5.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$1.76 ฿57.8

10.80%

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

$0.30 KES 38.48

$0.74 ฿24.37

-59.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.96

$0.33 ฿10.90

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 307

$2.47 ฿81.0

-4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 KES 341

$3.88 ฿127

-31.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 65.9

$1.90 ฿62.4

-73.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.2

$1.67 ฿54.7

-70.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 KES 167

$1.35 ฿44.24

-4.44%

Eggs

$1.33 KES 172

$2.14 ฿70.2

-37.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 KES 565

$15.89 ฿521

-72.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 KES 453

$2.83 ฿92.9

23.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.53 KES 457

$10.53 ฿345

-66.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 KES 163

$2.38 ฿78.2

-47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 KES 127

$1.07 ฿35.01

-8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 KES 152

$1.52 ฿49.79

-23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.7

$1.50 ฿49.30

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$1.28 ฿41.96

-41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$1.10 ฿36.17

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.8

$0.69 ฿22.54

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 58.0

$0.49 ฿16.18

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 KES 292

$4.27 ฿140

-47.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 KES 1,174

$16.78 ฿550

-45.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 KES 299

$1.66 ฿54.4

39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 KES 351

$2.81 ฿92.3

-3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.20 ฿39.24

26.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

$0.54 ฿17.78

181.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$2.37 ฿77.9

23.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.43 ฿46.88

9.09%

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

$19.2K KES 2.5M

$21.1K ฿691.5K

-8.93%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-27.83%

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

$57.2 KES 7,398

$64.7 ฿2,124

-11.69%

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

$15.38 KES 1,990

$13.19 ฿433

16.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 KES 4,406

$19.44 ฿638

75.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 KES 991

$6.62 ฿217

15.71%

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

$238 KES 30.7K

$805 ฿26.4K

-70.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K KES 1.4M

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-27.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.22 KES 3,522

$54.8 ฿1,796

-50.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.02 KES 3,237

$25.43 ฿834

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 KES 8,273

$91.9 ฿3,015

-30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 KES 7,865

$74.7 ฿2,449

-18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$467 ฿15.3K

-67.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$282 ฿9,251

-59.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.7K

$891 ฿29.2K

-74.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 KES 30.0K

$521 ฿17.1K

-55.44%

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 %)

14.71

5.57

164.09%

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

Last update for Ongata Rongai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Ongata Rongai versus $467 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 $19.00 in Ongata Rongai versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $237 – 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

Ongata Rongai vs Chiang Mai: 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 $829 per month in Ongata Rongai and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. 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 Ongata Rongai and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. 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.