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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Boracay versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Boracay versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,562 in Boracay versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Boracay costs roughly 19% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 44% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 ₱342

$2.08 ฿68.6

162.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 ₱1,214

$19.64 ฿646

-1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ₱366

$5.65 ฿186

3.54%

Cappuccino

$2.25 ₱141

$1.81 ฿59.4

24.31%

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

$0.67 ₱41.77

$0.71 ฿23.45

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₱14.26

$0.32 ฿10.38

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₱67.6

$2.24 ฿73.6

-51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱121

$3.63 ฿119

-46.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.96 ฿64.4

-16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ₱67.3

$1.50 ฿49.39

-28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱60.5

$1.34 ฿43.93

-27.61%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱117

$2.26 ฿74.5

-16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₱328

$16.26 ฿535

-67.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 ₱251

$2.95 ฿97.1

35.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₱476

$9.94 ฿327

-23.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 ₱159

$2.57 ฿84.6

-0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱96.8

$1.06 ฿34.73

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ₱127

$1.61 ฿53.0

26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.1

$1.52 ฿49.97

-34.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.27 ฿41.77

57.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ₱113

$1.07 ฿35.06

69.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₱56.8

$0.72 ฿23.68

26.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₱38.36

$0.51 ฿16.72

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₱148

$4.19 ฿138

-43.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ₱507

$17.87 ฿587

-54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₱62.4

$1.69 ฿55.7

-40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱122

$2.84 ฿93.3

-30.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.50

$0.93 ฿30.43

-73.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.29 ₱643

$53.9 ฿1,771

-80.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.49

$1.23 ฿40.59

-38.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.21

$0.58 ฿18.96

-60.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.42 ฿79.7

-29.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱72.5

$1.41 ฿46.43

-17.73%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-4.87%

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

$19.9K ₱1.2M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-27.25%

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

$111 ₱6,935

$63.7 ฿2,093

74.18%

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

$15.94 ₱997

$12.85 ฿423

24.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.58 ₱2,163

$20.22 ฿665

71.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.63 ₱2,166

$38.74 ฿1,274

-10.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.53 ₱283

$3.97 ฿130

14.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 ₱327

$6.74 ฿222

-22.40%

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

$153 ₱9,551

$778 ฿25.6K

-80.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,190 ₱512.2K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-43.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.35 ₱1,836

$54.3 ฿1,785

-45.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.32 ₱1,146

$25.45 ฿837

-28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 ₱3,851

$94.3 ฿3,102

-34.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.1 ₱3,945

$73.4 ฿2,415

-14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.9K

$490 ฿16.1K

-44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.9K

$289 ฿9,512

-39.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 ₱31.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

-43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₱22.4K

$517 ฿17.0K

-30.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,625 ₱164.2K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

34.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 ₱66.2K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-28.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 ₱14.7K

$602 ฿19.8K

-60.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for Boracay: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Boracay and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 156% 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: $19.00 in Boracay vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $240 per month, with Boracay cheaper across the board.

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

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

Boracay and Chiang Mai differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($765 vs $947 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 156% 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: $270 in Boracay versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Boracay versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.