Cost of Living Comparison Between Cagayan de Oro City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cagayan de Oro City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,121 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,493 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cagayan de Oro City costs roughly 13% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 ₱226

$1.94 ฿63.5

89.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.04 ₱866

$18.64 ฿609

-24.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ₱212

$7.82 ฿255

-56.01%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱162

$1.95 ฿63.8

34.36%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.85 ฿27.77

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.11

$0.35 ฿11.58

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$2.13 ฿69.6

-31.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₱152

$3.73 ฿122

-33.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱102

$1.71 ฿56.0

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₱60.3

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.2

$1.14 ฿37.15

-14.04%

Eggs

$2.40 ₱148

$1.93 ฿63.1

24.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 ₱375

$16.21 ฿530

-62.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₱215

$3.12 ฿102

11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.43 ₱397

$10.90 ฿356

-41.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.75 ฿90.0

-18.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.9

$1.21 ฿39.52

-6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$1.62 ฿53.0

41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.40 ฿45.70

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ₱172

$1.17 ฿38.17

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$0.66 ฿21.60

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱31.16

$0.53 ฿17.22

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 ₱148

$4.69 ฿153

-48.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.95 ₱244

$18.66 ฿609

-78.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱82.9

$1.80 ฿58.8

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱96.3

$3.23 ฿106

-51.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ₱25.24

$0.90 ฿29.26

-54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.72 ₱538

$19.21 ฿628

-54.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.72

$1.41 ฿45.91

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.49

$1.29 ฿42.12

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱134

$7.84 ฿256

-72.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$1.27 ฿41.58

-10.24%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-5.04%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-15.06%

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

$105 ₱6,471

$69.1 ฿2,256

51.95%

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

$40.33 ₱2,487

$14.08 ฿460

186.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.47 ₱2,064

$18.00 ฿588

85.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 ₱1,362

$41.06 ฿1,341

-46.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.27 ₱202

$6.96 ฿227

-53.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₱285

$5.92 ฿193

-21.96%

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

$190 ₱11.7K

$299 ฿9,766

-36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,462 ₱151.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-83.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.46 ₱2,187

$54.7 ฿1,787

-35.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.51 ₱895

$26.77 ฿874

-45.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 ₱3,621

$85.0 ฿2,776

-30.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 ₱2,642

$70.6 ฿2,306

-39.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₱22.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

-15.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₱13.2K

$237 ฿7,752

-9.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

-27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₱23.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-25.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,668 ₱102.8K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-15.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₱61.3K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-32.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 ₱19.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

-49.23%

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 Cagayan de Oro City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $362 in Cagayan de Oro City and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 97% 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: $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $246 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City 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

Cagayan de Oro City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cagayan de Oro City and Chiang Mai differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($750 vs $866 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 97% less. 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: $362 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cagayan de Oro City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.