Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calapan City and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Calapan City: $710 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Calapan City
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Calapan City Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Calapan City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$710

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calapan City 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 Calapan City and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $710 per month in Calapan City vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calapan City $710
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Calapan City vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calapan City $1,088
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,467 per month in Calapan City vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calapan City $1,467
Chiang Mai $1,914

Calapan City is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Calapan City and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Calapan City 47% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 ₱252

$2.26 ฿75.4

77.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.85 ₱1,061

$19.18 ฿641

-12.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱178

$5.59 ฿187

-49.37%

Cappuccino

$2.25 ₱142

$1.72 ฿57.6

30.81%

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

$0.61 ₱38.53

$0.64 ฿21.54

-4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱19.15

$0.33 ฿11.18

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱71.0

$2.36 ฿78.7

-52.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₱120

$3.90 ฿130

-51.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱107

$2.05 ฿68.6

-17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.5

$1.40 ฿46.70

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.1

$1.28 ฿42.89

-24.22%

Eggs

$1.92 ₱121

$2.25 ฿75.3

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 ₱301

$16.94 ฿566

-71.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 ₱267

$2.74 ฿91.6

54.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₱442

$9.36 ฿313

-24.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$2.40 ฿80.3

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱101

$1.01 ฿33.92

58.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$1.61 ฿53.9

46.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$1.52 ฿50.7

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.28 ฿42.90

49.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ₱123

$1.11 ฿37.22

75.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₱62.3

$0.72 ฿24.09

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₱34.62

$0.52 ฿17.54

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$4.33 ฿145

-30.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.38 ₱464

$17.73 ฿593

-58.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱59.6

$1.63 ฿54.4

-41.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₱123

$2.85 ฿95.3

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.06

$0.85 ฿28.31

-71.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.13 ₱701

$53.9 ฿1,801

-79.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.46

$1.17 ฿39.18

-32.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.48

$0.57 ฿19.00

-64.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.37 ฿79.2

-18.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₱66.3

$1.45 ฿48.32

-27.59%

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

$23.0K ₱1.4M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

12.26%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-29.23%

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

$121 ₱7,642

$62.3 ฿2,083

94.72%

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

$14.21 ₱895

$12.27 ฿410

15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 ₱1,525

$19.97 ฿668

21.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.71 ₱2,059

$37.91 ฿1,267

-13.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.12 ₱323

$3.76 ฿126

36.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ₱319

$6.71 ฿224

-24.44%

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

$125 ₱7,875

$797 ฿26.6K

-84.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,935 ₱499.6K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-46.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.35 ₱2,037

$53.3 ฿1,780

-39.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 ₱1,210

$25.05 ฿837

-23.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ₱4,395

$91.6 ฿3,062

-23.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 ₱3,589

$73.5 ฿2,455

-22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 ₱14.6K

$464 ฿15.5K

-50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₱9,819

$305 ฿10.2K

-48.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₱31.3K

$915 ฿30.6K

-45.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₱21.1K

$552 ฿18.5K

-39.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 ₱150.2K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

24.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 ₱63.1K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-30.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 ₱7,460

$595 ฿19.9K

-80.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.57

21.90%

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

Last update for Calapan City: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Calapan City

$177 24.9%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 34.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calapan City

$160 22.5%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 40.8% $65

Accommodation & Living

Calapan City

$156 22%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 95.3% $149

Eating Out

Calapan City

$81 11.4%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 2% $1.6

Clothing & Footwear

Calapan City

$80 11.3%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 36.4% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Calapan City

$43 6%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 19.8% $8.5

Getting Around

Calapan City

$14 2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 342% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $232 in Calapan City versus $464 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 402% 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 $17.00 in Calapan City versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $238 – making Calapan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Calapan City

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:14 2:14 PM

13:14 1:14 PM

1 h behind Calapan City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

145,786

127,240

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Calapan City Chiang Mai 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Calapan City
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

Calapan City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 32%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Calapan City and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calapan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Calapan City and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $710 in Calapan City and $938 in Chiang Mai. That's a gap of about 32%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calapan City, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Calapan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calapan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Calapan City. 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.