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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $694 per month in Calbayog vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Calbayog vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,442 per month in Calbayog vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calbayog is about 20% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calbayog and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Calbayog 48% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₱213

$1.98 ฿64.3

77.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.67 ₱1,073

$18.80 ฿612

-6.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 ₱207

$7.75 ฿252

-56.13%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱143

$1.92 ฿62.5

22.92%

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

$0.78 ₱47.20

$0.79 ฿25.79

-1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱23.88

$0.36 ฿11.62

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱79.4

$2.21 ฿72.1

-40.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₱132

$3.66 ฿119

-40.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₱78.6

$1.65 ฿53.8

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱77.4

$1.63 ฿53.2

-22.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.0

$1.19 ฿38.86

-22.69%

Eggs

$2.09 ₱127

$2.00 ฿65.1

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 ₱480

$15.98 ฿520

-50.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₱237

$3.03 ฿98.5

28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱467

$10.86 ฿354

-29.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₱99.9

$2.76 ฿90.0

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 ₱60.2

$1.18 ฿38.42

-16.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 ₱160

$1.64 ฿53.5

60.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱94.3

$1.52 ฿49.51

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱138

$1.38 ฿45.10

64.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱158

$1.19 ฿38.84

118.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱67.9

$0.70 ฿22.86

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.41

$0.56 ฿18.13

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ₱267

$4.58 ฿149

-3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱486

$16.56 ฿539

-51.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱45.56

$1.83 ฿59.5

-59.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱57.5

$3.20 ฿104

-70.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.17

$0.88 ฿28.56

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.00 ₱1,275

$18.72 ฿610

12.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱49.78

$1.36 ฿44.16

-39.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.32

$1.34 ฿43.65

-83.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱130

$7.84 ฿256

-72.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₱92.2

$1.23 ฿39.92

23.58%

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

$27.0K ₱1.6M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

24.81%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-10.91%

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

$114 ₱6,905

$70.5 ฿2,298

61.21%

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

$33.28 ₱2,021

$13.68 ฿445

143.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.01 ₱1,701

$17.45 ฿568

60.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 ₱2,033

$41.33 ฿1,346

-18.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱266

$6.96 ฿227

-36.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 ₱363

$5.77 ฿188

3.64%

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

$149 ₱9,064

$307 ฿10.0K

-51.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,363 ₱264.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-70.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.56 ₱2,827

$55.8 ฿1,817

-16.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.93 ₱1,635

$26.21 ฿854

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 ₱4,609

$85.8 ฿2,793

-11.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 ₱3,227

$72.2 ฿2,353

-26.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

-58.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 ₱6,432

$239 ฿7,774

-55.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 ₱20.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

-58.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ₱11.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

-63.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,435 ₱147.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

22.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,019 ₱61.9K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-31.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$153 ₱9,312

$619 ฿20.2K

-75.22%

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 Calbayog: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Calbayog 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 304% 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 $18.00 in Calbayog versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $241 – making Calbayog 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,040 per month in Calbayog and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Calbayog and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $694 in Calbayog and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – 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 Calbayog. 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.