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: $651 in Batangas versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $969 in Batangas versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,288 in Batangas versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Batangas costs roughly 24% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batangas 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.43 ₱150

$1.96 ฿64.0

23.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 ₱1,288

$18.81 ฿615

11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.59 ₱160

$7.92 ฿259

-67.30%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₱106

$1.91 ฿62.6

-9.95%

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

$0.83 ₱51.3

$0.84 ฿27.41

-1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.86

$0.35 ฿11.51

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱62.8

$2.21 ฿72.1

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱82.4

$3.80 ฿124

-64.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ₱128

$1.64 ฿53.5

26.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱73.9

$1.62 ฿53.1

-25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.6

$1.18 ฿38.62

-23.73%

Eggs

$1.85 ₱114

$2.01 ฿65.8

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.79 ₱296

$15.89 ฿520

-69.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱257

$3.01 ฿98.5

38.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 ₱452

$10.77 ฿352

-31.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.61 ฿85.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.1

$1.22 ฿39.88

28.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ₱160

$1.70 ฿55.7

52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₱100

$1.58 ฿51.5

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 ₱155

$1.32 ฿43.14

90.91%

Onion (1kg)

$4.13 ₱255

$1.17 ฿38.23

252.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₱86.3

$0.67 ฿21.98

108.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.6

$0.56 ฿18.32

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱179

$4.53 ฿148

-35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₱458

$18.20 ฿595

-59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱56.5

$1.83 ฿60.0

-49.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$3.23 ฿106

-39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.82

$0.89 ฿29.00

-70.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.56

$1.35 ฿44.20

-42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.68

$1.35 ฿44.05

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$8.25 ฿270

-74.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.27 ฿41.64

-14.17%

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

$25.4K ₱1.6M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

20.26%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-8.11%

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

$166 ₱10.2K

$70.2 ฿2,294

136.39%

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

$19.22 ₱1,186

$13.77 ฿450

39.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.85 ₱1,841

$17.60 ฿575

69.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.00 ₱1,665

$41.57 ฿1,360

-35.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ₱281

$6.60 ฿216

-30.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 ₱319

$5.78 ฿189

-10.55%

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

$82.9 ₱5,111

$306 ฿10.0K

-72.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,392 ₱85.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-90.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.53 ₱1,081

$54.4 ฿1,778

-67.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.41 ₱1,629

$26.14 ฿855

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.3 ₱3,902

$84.5 ฿2,764

-25.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.55 ₱2,748

$69.4 ฿2,270

-35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.5K

$424 ฿13.9K

-36.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.4 ₱4,961

$238 ฿7,788

-66.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.9K

$825 ฿27.0K

-78.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 ₱6,680

$515 ฿16.8K

-78.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,586 ₱159.5K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

26.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,646 ₱101.5K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

8.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 ₱10.4K

$635 ฿20.8K

-73.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

62.60%

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

Last update for Batangas: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Batangas and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 277% 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: $21.00 in Batangas vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $243, with Batangas cheaper for home cooking.

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 31% in total monthly costs ($651 vs $852 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 277% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $267 in Batangas versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $651 per month in Batangas versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Batangas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 31% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.