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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $527 per month in Cabanatuan vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,043 per month in Cabanatuan vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,560 per month in Cabanatuan vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cabanatuan is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cabanatuan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cabanatuan 61% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.50 ₱273
$1.98 ฿64.3
127.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.28 ₱2,142
$18.80 ฿612
87.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.57 ₱217
$7.75 ฿252
-53.94%
Cappuccino
$2.91 ₱177
$1.92 ฿62.5
51.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ₱51.9
$0.79 ฿25.79
7.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₱29.30
$0.36 ฿11.62
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.48 ₱89.7
$2.21 ฿72.1
-33.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₱157
$3.66 ฿119
-29.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ₱119
$1.65 ฿53.8
18.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 ₱98.0
$1.63 ฿53.2
-1.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 ₱59.6
$1.19 ฿38.86
-17.65%
Eggs
$2.02 ₱122
$2.00 ฿65.1
1.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.62 ₱220
$15.98 ฿520
-77.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.15 ₱191
$3.03 ฿98.5
3.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.66 ₱404
$10.86 ฿354
-38.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.19 ₱255
$2.76 ฿90.0
51.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 ₱77.4
$1.18 ฿38.42
8.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 ₱117
$1.64 ฿53.5
17.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.77 ₱46.80
$1.52 ฿49.51
-49.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.44 ₱87.3
$1.38 ฿45.10
4.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 ₱88.3
$1.19 ฿38.84
21.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 ₱62.9
$0.70 ฿22.86
48.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ₱51.2
$0.56 ฿18.13
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.87 ₱174
$4.58 ฿149
-37.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.66 ₱344
$16.56 ฿539
-65.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ₱45.61
$1.83 ฿59.5
-59.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ₱110
$3.20 ฿104
-43.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₱17.01
$0.88 ฿28.56
-68.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.72 ฿610
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 ₱42.34
$1.36 ฿44.16
-48.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.28
$1.34 ฿43.65
-83.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 ₱52.9
$7.84 ฿256
-88.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ₱67.6
$1.23 ฿39.92
-9.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K ₱1.7M
$21.6K ฿704.3K
31.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K ₱1.1M
$22.5K ฿734.3K
-22.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.3 ₱3,538
$70.5 ฿2,298
-17.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.16 ₱1,285
$13.68 ฿445
54.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.19 ₱1,529
$17.45 ฿568
44.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.32 ₱748
$41.33 ฿1,346
-70.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.72 ₱165
$6.96 ฿227
-60.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.73 ₱408
$5.77 ฿188
16.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$152 ₱9,245
$307 ฿10.0K
-50.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,256 ₱258.4K
$14.6K ฿475.9K
-70.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.79 ₱1,627
$55.8 ฿1,817
-51.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.81 ₱2,053
$26.21 ฿854
29.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.0 ₱3,703
$85.8 ฿2,793
-28.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.37 ₱2,816
$72.2 ฿2,353
-35.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$268 ₱16.3K
$430 ฿14.0K
-37.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$44.88 ₱2,725
$239 ฿7,774
-81.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$591 ₱35.9K
$817 ฿26.6K
-27.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$391 ₱23.7K
$511 ฿16.6K
-23.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,983 ฿64.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$226 ₱13.7K
$1,484 ฿48.3K
-84.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cabanatuan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$206 ₱12.5K
$619 ฿20.2K
-66.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.17
5
23.40%

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

Last update for Cabanatuan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Cabanatuan 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.

Salaries run about 200% 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Cabanatuan vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Cabanatuan 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
Cabanatuan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Cabanatuan and Chiang Mai compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $527 in Cabanatuan, $869 in Chiang Mai – roughly 65% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Cabanatuan compared to Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $791 per month in Cabanatuan and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Cabanatuan and Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabanatuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Cabanatuan and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How far does $1,200 go in Cabanatuan vs Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $527 in Cabanatuan and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Cabanatuan and Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $527 in Cabanatuan to $869 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Cabanatuan or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Cabanatuan and Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Cabanatuan. 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.

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