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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $697 per month in Bohol vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,109 per month in Bohol vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,520 per month in Bohol vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bohol is about 18% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bohol and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bohol 48% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 ₱222

$1.96 ฿63.6

85.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 ₱2,167

$18.81 ฿611

88.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 ₱276

$7.92 ฿258

-42.93%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ₱196

$1.91 ฿62.2

67.54%

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

$0.81 ₱49.61

$0.84 ฿27.25

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.61

$0.35 ฿11.44

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱79.6

$2.21 ฿71.7

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₱127

$3.80 ฿124

-45.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ₱113

$1.64 ฿53.2

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.0

$1.62 ฿52.8

-25.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱57.4

$1.18 ฿38.40

-20.34%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱122

$2.01 ฿65.4

-1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ₱477

$15.89 ฿517

-50.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ₱253

$3.01 ฿98.0

37.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.76 ₱536

$10.77 ฿350

-18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ₱176

$2.61 ฿85.0

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱97.6

$1.22 ฿39.65

31.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ₱159

$1.70 ฿55.4

52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₱95.9

$1.58 ฿51.2

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 ₱128

$1.32 ฿42.89

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ₱161

$1.17 ฿38.01

124.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱67.3

$0.67 ฿21.85

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.72

$0.56 ฿18.21

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ₱148

$4.53 ฿147

-46.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱73.7

$1.83 ฿59.6

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱124

$3.23 ฿105

-37.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.15

$0.89 ฿28.83

-68.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.16

$1.35 ฿43.95

-42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.42

$1.35 ฿43.79

-83.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ₱130

$8.25 ฿268

-74.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱76.3

$1.27 ฿41.40

-1.57%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

24.03%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-8.52%

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

$112 ₱6,853

$70.2 ฿2,281

59.67%

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

$33.21 ₱2,032

$13.77 ฿448

141.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.82 ₱1,702

$17.60 ฿572

58.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.65 ₱1,141

$41.57 ฿1,352

-55.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱273

$6.60 ฿215

-32.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 ₱344

$5.78 ฿188

-2.77%

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

$149 ₱9,108

$306 ฿9,953

-51.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,264 ₱260.8K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-71.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.73 ₱2,798

$54.4 ฿1,768

-15.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.96 ₱1,649

$26.14 ฿850

3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,636

$84.5 ฿2,748

-10.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 ₱3,233

$69.4 ฿2,257

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 ₱8,737

$424 ฿13.8K

-66.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ₱6,546

$238 ฿7,743

-55.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 ₱32.3K

$825 ฿26.8K

-35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₱13.9K

$515 ฿16.7K

-55.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$543 ₱33.2K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-64.32%

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 Bohol: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $143 in Bohol 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 $35.00 in Bohol versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Bohol vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Bohol 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,046 per month in Bohol 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 Bohol, 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 $697 in Bohol and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Bohol and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $697 in Bohol and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bohol – 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 Bohol. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.