Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayawan City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayawan City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Bayawan City versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,245 in Bayawan City versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,706 in Bayawan City versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bayawan City costs roughly 9% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bayawan City 41% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ₱268

$1.96 ฿65.7

122.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,478

$18.35 ฿616

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 ₱277

$7.48 ฿251

-39.84%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₱163

$2.02 ฿67.7

31.68%

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

$0.80 ₱49.06

$0.85 ฿28.45

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱28.24

$0.36 ฿11.94

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱93.8

$2.14 ฿71.7

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$3.59 ฿121

-41.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.65 ฿55.4

21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.1

$1.57 ฿52.6

-4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₱47.28

$1.19 ฿39.95

-35.29%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱146

$1.94 ฿65.0

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 ₱790

$16.19 ฿544

-20.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 ₱316

$2.99 ฿100

71.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 ₱471

$10.94 ฿367

-29.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ₱221

$2.71 ฿91.0

32.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.2

$1.17 ฿39.18

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱211

$1.69 ฿56.6

102.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱140

$1.60 ฿53.9

41.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 ₱163

$1.38 ฿46.45

92.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ₱157

$1.20 ฿40.38

112.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₱59.7

$0.67 ฿22.46

44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.15

$0.56 ฿18.70

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₱198

$4.64 ฿156

-30.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.82 ₱297

$17.62 ฿591

-72.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱56.4

$1.86 ฿62.4

-50.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱140

$3.30 ฿111

-31.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.79

$0.88 ฿29.63

-70.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$1.36 ฿45.82

-38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.10

$1.34 ฿44.90

-82.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₱166

$8.21 ฿276

-67.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.2

$1.22 ฿41.11

-10.66%

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

$30.6K ₱1.9M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

43.46%

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

$27.5K ₱1.7M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

21.89%

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

$95.4 ₱5,871

$70.7 ฿2,372

34.94%

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

$34.78 ₱2,141

$14.04 ฿471

147.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 ₱1,806

$17.49 ฿587

67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.90 ₱2,087

$42.15 ฿1,415

-19.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.37 ₱269

$6.88 ฿231

-36.48%

Cinema Ticket

$1.74 ₱107

$5.92 ฿199

-70.61%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$309 ฿10.4K

-23.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,928 ₱241.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-73.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.50 ₱2,863

$55.8 ฿1,872

-16.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.83 ₱1,406

$26.11 ฿877

-12.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 ₱4,603

$83.0 ฿2,787

-9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ₱3,422

$70.5 ฿2,365

-21.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

-39.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.8K

$239 ฿8,020

-26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.8K

$822 ฿27.6K

-29.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₱24.7K

$512 ฿17.2K

-21.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,717 ₱167.3K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

41.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$876 ₱53.9K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-40.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$112 ₱6,914

$579 ฿19.4K

-80.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Bayawan City: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Bayawan City and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 416% 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: $24.00 in Bayawan City vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $243, with Bayawan City 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

Bayawan City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bayawan City and Chiang Mai differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($784 vs $861 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 416% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Bayawan City versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $235 in Bayawan City versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bayawan City 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, Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.