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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $901 per month in Binan City vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,376 per month in Binan City vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,850 per month in Binan City vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Binan City costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Binan City and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Binan City 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 ₱291

$1.96 ฿63.6

142.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 ₱1,288

$18.81 ฿611

11.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.12 ₱191

$7.92 ฿258

-60.61%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₱183

$1.91 ฿62.2

56.02%

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

$0.93 ₱57.2

$0.84 ฿27.25

10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱22.97

$0.35 ฿11.44

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₱75.1

$2.21 ฿71.7

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱162

$3.80 ฿124

-30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.64 ฿53.2

31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱76.8

$1.62 ฿52.8

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.8

$1.18 ฿38.40

-9.32%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱123

$2.01 ฿65.4

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₱420

$15.89 ฿517

-56.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 ₱268

$3.01 ฿98.0

45.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 ₱455

$10.77 ฿350

-30.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 ₱264

$2.61 ฿85.0

65.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.3

$1.22 ฿39.65

24.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ₱159

$1.70 ฿55.4

53.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱104

$1.58 ฿51.2

7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱169

$1.32 ฿42.89

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₱179

$1.17 ฿38.01

150.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ₱100

$0.67 ฿21.85

144.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₱61.7

$0.56 ฿18.21

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₱198

$4.53 ฿147

-28.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 ₱516

$18.20 ฿592

-53.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.7

$1.83 ฿59.6

-31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₱125

$3.23 ฿105

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.75

$0.89 ฿28.83

-70.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.06

$1.35 ฿43.95

-41.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.74

$1.35 ฿43.79

-82.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 ₱222

$8.25 ฿268

-56.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.7

$1.27 ฿41.40

-12.60%

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

$25.5K ₱1.6M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

20.62%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-8.58%

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

$167 ₱10.2K

$70.2 ฿2,281

137.89%

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

$32.51 ₱1,989

$13.77 ฿448

136.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.87 ₱2,134

$17.60 ฿572

98.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.87 ₱2,072

$41.57 ฿1,352

-18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 ₱432

$5.78 ฿188

22.15%

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

$81.3 ₱4,972

$306 ฿9,953

-73.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,161 ₱438.1K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-51.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.50 ₱1,988

$54.4 ฿1,768

-40.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.77 ₱1,821

$26.14 ฿850

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ₱5,182

$84.5 ฿2,748

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ₱5,798

$69.4 ฿2,257

36.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.2K

$424 ฿13.8K

-37.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱10.9K

$238 ฿7,743

-25.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₱36.2K

$825 ฿26.8K

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ₱24.5K

$515 ฿16.7K

-22.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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 Binan City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Binan City 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 $21.00 in Binan City versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Binan City vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Binan City 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

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

Yes – Binan City is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,352 per month in Binan City 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $901 in Binan City and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $81.3 per month in Binan City and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $901 in Binan City and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Binan City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.