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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Bulacan vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,050 per month in Bulacan vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,383 per month in Bulacan vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bulacan is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bulacan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bulacan 46% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 ₱167

$1.94 ฿63.5

39.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 ₱870

$18.64 ฿609

-24.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱174

$7.82 ฿255

-63.81%

Cappuccino

$2.22 ₱137

$1.95 ฿63.8

13.85%

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

$0.68 ₱41.84

$0.85 ฿27.77

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱18.92

$0.35 ฿11.58

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₱63.9

$2.13 ฿69.6

-51.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱129

$3.73 ฿122

-43.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.71 ฿56.0

23.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱77.0

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.14 ฿37.15

-19.30%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱121

$1.93 ฿63.1

2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 ₱188

$16.21 ฿530

-81.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₱228

$3.12 ฿102

18.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 ₱411

$10.90 ฿356

-38.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₱128

$2.75 ฿90.0

-24.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.62 ฿53.0

32.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ₱88.2

$1.59 ฿51.8

-10.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱107

$1.40 ฿45.70

24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.6

$1.17 ฿38.17

29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.66 ฿21.60

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱52.1

$0.53 ฿17.22

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱177

$4.69 ฿153

-38.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.63 ₱224

$18.66 ฿609

-80.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.3

$1.80 ฿58.8

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₱100

$3.23 ฿106

-49.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱17.95

$0.90 ฿29.26

-67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.49 ₱462

$19.21 ฿628

-61.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.02

$1.41 ฿45.91

-46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.84

$1.29 ฿42.12

-81.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₱168

$7.84 ฿256

-65.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.6

$1.27 ฿41.58

-13.39%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.31%

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

$14.7K ₱905.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-33.89%

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

$113 ₱6,942

$69.1 ฿2,256

62.99%

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

$32.16 ₱1,983

$14.08 ฿460

128.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₱1,724

$18.00 ฿588

55.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 ₱2,501

$41.06 ฿1,341

-1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱271

$6.96 ฿227

-36.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₱393

$5.92 ฿193

7.77%

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

$106 ₱6,556

$299 ฿9,766

-64.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,394 ₱270.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-70.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.90 ₱1,844

$54.7 ฿1,787

-45.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 ₱1,440

$26.77 ฿874

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,674

$85.0 ฿2,776

-10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 ₱6,052

$70.6 ฿2,306

39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 ₱15.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

-40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₱8,326

$237 ฿7,752

-43.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱24.1K

$801 ฿26.2K

-51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₱12.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

-60.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 ₱117.6K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-3.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 ₱91.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

0.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ₱18.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

-52.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

23.40%

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

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Bulacan versus $428 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.

Salaries run about 110% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Bulacan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $246 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,076 per month in Bulacan and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, 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 $718 in Bulacan and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 156% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $718 in Bulacan and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $718 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bulacan. 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.