Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bohol and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Bohol: $451 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bohol, Philippines
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Bohol
🇵🇭 Philippines
$451
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bohol and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bohol and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $451 per month in Bohol vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Bohol $451
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $772 per month in Bohol vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Bohol $772
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,093 per month in Bohol vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Bohol $1,093
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Bohol is about 52% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bohol and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bohol 67% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.68 ₱490
$2.24 ฿75.7
242.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.76 ₱1,965
$19.00 ฿642
61.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.05 ₱195
$5.55 ฿188
-45.05%
Cappuccino
$1.91 ₱122
$1.67 ฿56.6
14.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.64 ฿21.56
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.31 ฿10.32
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.36 ฿79.6
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.66 ฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 ₱98.7
$1.95 ฿65.8
-21.03%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 ₱58.7
$1.44 ฿48.51
-36.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ₱64.0
$1.33 ฿45.07
-24.81%
Eggs
$1.98 ₱127
$2.28 ฿77.1
-13.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.33 ₱468
$16.45 ฿556
-55.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.73 ₱303
$2.78 ฿94.0
70.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.30 ₱595
$9.31 ฿314
-0.11%
Apples (1kg)
$1.38 ₱88.1
$2.35 ฿79.5
-41.28%
Banana (1kg)
$0.93 ₱59.2
$0.97 ฿32.82
-4.12%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.60 ฿53.9
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.87 ₱119
$1.50 ฿50.7
24.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 ₱116
$1.28 ฿43.15
42.19%
Onion (1kg)
$4.56 ₱291
$1.10 ฿37.22
314.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 ₱149
$0.71 ฿23.84
226.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.49 ฿16.38
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.39 ₱217
$4.14 ฿140
-18.12%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.52 ฿592
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.61 ฿54.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.78 ฿94.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.87 ฿29.33
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.1 ฿1,827
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.16 ฿39.08
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.53 ฿17.82
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.42 ฿81.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₱84.1
$1.45 ฿48.93
-8.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.1K ฿711.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.9K ฿909.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$62.2 ฿2,100
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$12.17 ฿411
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.59 ₱1,380
$20.12 ฿680
7.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.16 ₱904
$37.31 ฿1,260
-62.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.49 ₱351
$3.77 ฿127
45.62%
Cinema Ticket
$3.90 ₱249
$6.49 ฿219
-39.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$736 ฿24.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿498.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$53.4 ฿1,802
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.64 ฿832
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$91.5 ฿3,089
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$71.9 ฿2,429
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$188 ₱12.0K
$482 ฿16.3K
-61.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$158 ₱10.1K
$309 ฿10.4K
-48.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$314 ₱20.0K
$1,006 ฿34.0K
-68.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$281 ₱17.9K
$633 ฿21.4K
-55.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$513 ₱32.7K
$1,589 ฿53.7K
-67.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bohol
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$590 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Bohol: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$309
Groceries & Markets
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$234
Clothing & Footwear
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$78
Getting Around
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$61
Sport & Entertainment
Bohol
–
Chiang Mai
$50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $188 in Bohol versus $482 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 $31 in Bohol versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Bohol vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Bohol wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Bohol
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
04:36 4:36 AM
03:36 3:36 AM
1 h behind Bohol
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,454
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bohol Chiang Mai 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bohol
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Bohol cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 107%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $676 per month in Bohol and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bohol, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $188 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do food prices compare in Bohol and in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 50% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Bohol or in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31 in Bohol and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Bohol or in Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $451 in Bohol to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Bohol or Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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