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 $871 per month in Binan City vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,367 per month in Binan City vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Binan City vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Binan City and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.74 ₱288

$1.98 ฿64.3

139.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 ₱1,279

$18.80 ฿612

12.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.18 ₱193

$7.75 ฿252

-58.97%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ₱171

$1.92 ฿62.5

46.35%

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

$0.98 ₱59.3

$0.79 ฿25.79

24.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.09

$0.36 ฿11.62

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱74.3

$2.21 ฿72.1

-44.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₱165

$3.66 ฿119

-25.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₱126

$1.65 ฿53.8

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱75.6

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱67.9

$1.19 ฿38.86

-5.88%

Eggs

$2.04 ₱124

$2.00 ฿65.1

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 ₱422

$15.98 ฿520

-56.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₱267

$3.03 ฿98.5

44.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 ₱450

$10.86 ฿354

-31.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 ₱270

$2.76 ฿90.0

61.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱92.1

$1.18 ฿38.42

28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱165

$1.64 ฿53.5

65.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₱99.6

$1.52 ฿49.51

7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₱176

$1.38 ฿45.10

109.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 ₱171

$1.19 ฿38.84

136.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ₱99.8

$0.70 ฿22.86

134.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱61.7

$0.56 ฿18.13

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₱199

$4.58 ฿149

-28.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₱501

$16.56 ฿539

-50.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₱76.3

$1.83 ฿59.5

-31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱125

$3.20 ฿104

-35.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.78

$0.88 ฿28.56

-70.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱47.86

$1.36 ฿44.16

-41.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.65

$1.34 ฿43.65

-82.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱221

$7.84 ฿256

-53.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.6

$1.23 ฿39.92

-6.50%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

20.93%

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

$20.5K ₱1.2M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-8.86%

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

$164 ₱9,981

$70.5 ฿2,298

133.03%

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

$33.25 ₱2,019

$13.68 ฿445

143.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,173

$17.45 ฿568

105.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.12 ₱2,072

$41.33 ฿1,346

-17.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.32 ₱262

$6.96 ฿227

-37.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 ₱440

$5.77 ฿188

25.48%

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

$81.2 ₱4,931

$307 ฿10.0K

-73.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,089 ₱430.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-51.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.25 ₱1,958

$55.8 ฿1,817

-42.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 ₱1,766

$26.21 ฿854

10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 ₱5,067

$85.8 ฿2,793

-2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ₱5,651

$72.2 ฿2,353

28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.0K

$430 ฿14.0K

-38.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱10.8K

$239 ฿7,774

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 ₱35.4K

$817 ฿26.6K

-28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱23.8K

$511 ฿16.6K

-23.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,071 ₱125.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

4.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$923 ₱56.0K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-37.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Binan City versus $430 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 $241 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,307 per month in Binan City and $1,303 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Binan City and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $81.2 per month in Binan City and $307 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 $871 in Binan City and $869 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.