Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $685 per month in Cauayan City vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cauayan City is about 21% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cauayan City and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cauayan City 49% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱221

$1.94 ฿63.5

84.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.51 ₱833

$18.64 ฿609

-27.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.59 ₱160

$7.82 ฿255

-66.88%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ₱143

$1.95 ฿63.8

18.97%

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

$0.30 ₱18.78

$0.85 ฿27.77

-64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱18.85

$0.35 ฿11.58

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$2.13 ฿69.6

-50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱108

$3.73 ฿122

-52.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ₱106

$1.71 ฿56.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱77.2

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.2

$1.14 ฿37.15

-18.42%

Eggs

$1.48 ₱91.1

$1.93 ฿63.1

-23.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 ₱309

$16.21 ฿530

-69.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₱241

$3.12 ฿102

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 ₱434

$10.90 ฿356

-35.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ₱133

$2.75 ฿90.0

-21.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₱48.25

$1.21 ฿39.52

-35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ₱130

$1.62 ฿53.0

29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 ₱45.15

$1.59 ฿51.8

-54.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.7

$1.40 ฿45.70

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₱83.1

$1.17 ฿38.17

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₱43.81

$0.66 ฿21.60

7.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱42.92

$0.53 ฿17.22

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 ₱162

$4.69 ฿153

-43.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 ₱547

$18.66 ฿609

-52.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱63.7

$1.80 ฿58.8

-42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$3.23 ฿106

-32.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.28

$0.90 ฿29.26

-68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.41 ฿45.91

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.49

$1.29 ฿42.12

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ₱145

$7.84 ฿256

-70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.0

$1.27 ฿41.58

-13.39%

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

$17.5K ₱1.1M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-17.87%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-9.48%

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

$88.0 ₱5,427

$69.1 ฿2,256

27.41%

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

$34.44 ₱2,123

$14.08 ฿460

144.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.71 ₱1,647

$18.00 ฿588

48.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.97 ₱2,095

$41.06 ฿1,341

-17.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱274

$6.96 ฿227

-36.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 ₱263

$5.92 ฿193

-27.87%

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

$53.5 ₱3,296

$299 ฿9,766

-82.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,768 ₱109.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-88.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.40 ₱1,628

$54.7 ฿1,787

-51.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.60 ₱1,332

$26.77 ฿874

-19.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.4 ₱3,292

$85.0 ฿2,776

-37.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.75 ₱2,883

$70.6 ฿2,306

-33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

-38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.9K

$237 ฿7,752

-25.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 ₱36.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

-26.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-22.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,635 ₱162.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

33.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,073 ₱66.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-27.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 ₱13.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

-65.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Cauayan City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Cauayan City 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 188% 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 Cauayan City versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $246 – making Cauayan City 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $685 in Cauayan City, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 26% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,028 per month in Cauayan City 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 Cauayan City, 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 $685 in Cauayan City and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $53.5 per month in Cauayan City and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $685 in Cauayan City and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $685 in Cauayan City to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cauayan 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.