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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $627 in Batangas versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $917 in Batangas versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,206 in Batangas versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Batangas costs roughly 33% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batangas 54% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 ₱138

$2.08 ฿69.5

6.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 ₱1,189

$19.61 ฿655

-3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.66 ₱167

$5.67 ฿189

-53.09%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₱127

$1.81 ฿60.3

12.15%

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

$0.41 ₱25.81

$0.77 ฿25.65

-46.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.26

$0.35 ฿11.53

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₱66.7

$2.21 ฿73.9

-52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₱92.7

$3.79 ฿127

-60.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ₱109

$2.05 ฿68.4

-15.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ₱71.1

$1.51 ฿50.6

-25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₱49.34

$1.40 ฿46.69

-43.57%

Eggs

$1.64 ₱103

$2.26 ฿75.4

-27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.71 ₱358

$16.19 ฿540

-64.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₱269

$2.90 ฿96.7

47.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 ₱456

$9.42 ฿314

-22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$2.68 ฿89.4

-8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₱86.9

$1.09 ฿36.37

27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$1.62 ฿54.0

42.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱72.9

$1.46 ฿48.74

-20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.28 ฿42.65

78.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₱214

$1.06 ฿35.31

221.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₱81.4

$0.72 ฿23.94

80.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.5

$0.53 ฿17.56

81.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 ₱156

$4.23 ฿141

-41.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₱487

$18.29 ฿611

-57.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.63 ฿54.4

-21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₱116

$2.90 ฿96.8

-36.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 ₱43.63

$0.88 ฿29.32

-20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.59

$1.17 ฿39.14

-35.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.14

$0.58 ฿19.30

-63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₱155

$2.39 ฿79.6

3.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₱67.1

$1.45 ฿48.41

-26.21%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

-0.58%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-27.72%

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

$164 ₱10.3K

$63.7 ฿2,125

157.80%

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

$14.22 ₱892

$12.89 ฿430

10.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.02 ₱1,569

$20.52 ฿685

21.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.28 ₱1,209

$39.02 ฿1,302

-50.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.90 ₱809

$3.92 ฿131

229.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 ₱356

$6.58 ฿220

-13.68%

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

$73.8 ₱4,628

$784 ฿26.2K

-90.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,284 ₱80.6K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-91.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.20 ₱1,016

$55.1 ฿1,840

-70.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.37 ₱1,403

$24.74 ฿826

-9.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 ₱3,469

$94.1 ฿3,142

-41.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.75 ₱2,493

$74.0 ฿2,469

-46.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 ₱4,410

$288 ฿9,620

-75.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₱9,931

$891 ฿29.8K

-82.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.2 ₱5,971

$521 ฿17.4K

-81.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,592 ₱162.5K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

31.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,605 ₱100.6K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 ₱10.3K

$602 ฿20.1K

-72.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.67%

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

Last update for Batangas: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 265% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Batangas vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $241 per month, with Batangas cheaper across the board.

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

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

Batangas and Chiang Mai differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($627 vs $932 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 265% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $627 per month in Batangas versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $627 in Batangas versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Batangas but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Batangas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Batangas and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.