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

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

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

Ongata Rongai is about 38% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 706

$1.96 ฿64.0

179.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.55 KES 2,524

$18.81 ฿615

3.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 KES 893

$7.92 ฿259

-12.63%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 253

$1.91 ฿62.6

2.62%

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

$0.30 KES 38.47

$0.84 ฿27.41

-64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.75

$0.35 ฿11.51

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 304

$2.21 ฿72.1

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 KES 380

$3.80 ฿124

-22.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.50 KES 64.1

$1.64 ฿53.5

-69.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 60.1

$1.62 ฿53.1

-70.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 KES 166

$1.18 ฿38.62

9.32%

Eggs

$1.32 KES 170

$2.01 ฿65.8

-34.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 KES 566

$15.89 ฿520

-72.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 KES 436

$3.01 ฿98.5

12.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.53 KES 455

$10.77 ฿352

-67.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 KES 159

$2.61 ฿85.5

-52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.22 ฿39.88

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.70 ฿55.7

-31.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.2

$1.58 ฿51.5

-59.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.32 ฿43.14

-40.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KES 62.0

$1.17 ฿38.23

-58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$0.67 ฿21.98

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.56 ฿18.32

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 KES 298

$4.53 ฿148

-49.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 KES 1,203

$18.20 ฿595

-48.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.83 ฿60.0

21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 KES 349

$3.23 ฿106

-16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 203

$1.35 ฿44.20

17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 KES 174

$1.35 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 381

$8.25 ฿270

-64.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.27 ฿41.64

24.41%

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

$21.3K KES 2.7M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

0.58%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-9.58%

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

$34.74 KES 4,484

$70.2 ฿2,294

-50.48%

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

$16.61 KES 2,144

$13.77 ฿450

20.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.23 KES 5,063

$17.60 ฿575

122.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 KES 788

$5.78 ฿189

5.71%

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

$203 KES 26.2K

$306 ฿10.0K

-33.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,013 KES 1.0M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-45.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 KES 2,358

$54.4 ฿1,778

-66.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.24 KES 3,128

$26.14 ฿855

-7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,456

$84.5 ฿2,764

-22.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 KES 7,275

$69.4 ฿2,270

-18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$424 ฿13.9K

-63.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$238 ฿7,788

-51.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.3K

$825 ฿27.0K

-71.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

-54.30%

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

196.80%

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

Last update for Ongata Rongai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $154 in Ongata Rongai 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Ongata Rongai versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $128 in Ongata Rongai vs $243 in Chiang Mai – 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

Ongata Rongai vs Chiang Mai: 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 $792 per month in Ongata Rongai 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 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 $20.00 in Ongata Rongai 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 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 $528 in Ongata Rongai and $852 in Chiang Mai, 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.