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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Bacolod vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,190 per month in Bacolod vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,645 per month in Bacolod vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bacolod is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bacolod and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bacolod 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ₱138

$1.94 ฿63.6

15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.17 ₱1,060

$18.64 ฿609

-7.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₱245

$7.82 ฿256

-49.23%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₱183

$1.95 ฿63.9

51.79%

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

$1.64 ₱101

$0.85 ฿27.80

92.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.9

$0.35 ฿11.60

245.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ₱78.8

$2.13 ฿69.7

-39.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱119

$3.73 ฿122

-47.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₱107

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱76.8

$1.63 ฿53.3

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.14 ฿37.18

-20.18%

Eggs

$1.77 ₱109

$1.93 ฿63.2

-8.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₱595

$16.21 ฿530

-40.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ₱470

$3.12 ฿102

144.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱479

$10.90 ฿356

-28.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 ₱238

$2.75 ฿90.1

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ₱168

$1.21 ฿39.56

125.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₱39.85

$1.59 ฿51.9

-59.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.40 ฿45.75

65.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 ₱140

$1.17 ฿38.20

94.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$0.66 ฿21.62

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.5

$0.53 ฿17.24

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ₱188

$4.69 ฿153

-34.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱59.1

$1.80 ฿58.8

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱123

$3.23 ฿106

-38.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₱10.86

$0.90 ฿29.28

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 ₱655

$19.21 ฿628

-44.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.43

$1.41 ฿45.96

-44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.79

$1.29 ฿42.16

-81.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$7.84 ฿256

-72.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱76.5

$1.27 ฿41.62

-2.36%

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

$25.3K ₱1.6M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

18.95%

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

$30.6K ₱1.9M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

37.80%

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

$103 ₱6,364

$69.1 ฿2,258

49.33%

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

$35.67 ₱2,201

$14.08 ฿460

153.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.89 ₱1,721

$18.00 ฿588

54.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.22 ₱1,618

$41.06 ฿1,342

-36.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.58 ₱159

$6.96 ฿227

-62.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₱300

$5.92 ฿193

-17.91%

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

$35.27 ₱2,176

$299 ฿9,775

-88.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,330 ₱267.2K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-71.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 ₱3,412

$54.7 ฿1,788

1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 ₱1,608

$26.77 ฿875

-2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₱3,090

$85.0 ฿2,778

-41.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.72 ₱2,698

$70.6 ฿2,308

-38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 ₱14.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-47.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ₱9,161

$237 ฿7,759

-37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱30.5K

$801 ฿26.2K

-38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.5K

$515 ฿16.9K

-16.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$207 ₱12.8K

$617 ฿20.2K

-66.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Bacolod versus $428 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 199% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $17.00 in Bacolod versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $246 – making Bacolod 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $736 in Bacolod, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 18% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Bacolod and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 81% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $35.27 per month in Bacolod and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $736 in Bacolod and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Bacolod has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $736 in Bacolod to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bacolod. 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.