Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antipolo

For one person, living is cheaper in Antipolo: $809 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Antipolo
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Antipolo Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Antipolo

🇵🇭 Philippines

$809

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Antipolo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Antipolo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Antipolo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Antipolo $809

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,219 in Antipolo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Antipolo $1,219

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,628 in Antipolo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Antipolo $1,628

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Antipolo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Antipolo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Antipolo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$4.80 ₱302

-55.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$24.07 ₱1,515

-22.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$3.14 ₱198

78.34%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.60 ₱163

-36.15%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.92 ₱57.8

-29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.77 ₱48.19

-61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.08 ₱68.3

114.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.94 ₱122

89.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.75 ₱111

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.81 ₱51.0

74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$0.89 ₱55.9

56.18%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.90 ₱120

24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$4.77 ₱301

246.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$3.27 ₱206

-18.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$6.92 ₱436

30.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$2.45 ₱154

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.83 ₱115

-43.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$2.64 ₱166

-37.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$0.93 ₱58.8

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$1.33 ₱83.7

-6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$1.32 ₱83.2

-17.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$0.62 ₱38.73

22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.33 ₱20.59

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.78 ₱175

48.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$6.92 ₱436

159.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$0.80 ₱50.5

102.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$2.08 ₱131

35.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.21 ₱13.22

342.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$14.07 ₱886

275.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.83 ₱52.0

42.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.22 ₱13.87

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$1.91 ₱120

-5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$1.26 ₱79.1

16.67%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.23%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

39.39%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$97.0 ₱6,110

-35.53%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$15.45 ₱973

-24.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$24.33 ₱1,532

-16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$36.27 ₱2,284

4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$4.77 ₱300

36.48%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$615 ₱38.7K

18.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$7,897 ₱497.2K

109.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$49.99 ₱3,148

7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$28.25 ₱1,779

-12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$69.1 ₱4,350

30.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$60.1 ₱3,783

19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$443 ₱27.9K

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$259 ₱16.3K

19.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$823 ₱51.8K

28.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$450 ₱28.4K

46.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$3,620 ₱227.9K

-33.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$2,576 ₱162.2K

-37.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$434 ₱27.3K

37.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Antipolo: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Antipolo

$259 32% 16.4% $51

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Antipolo

$162 20% 31.7% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Antipolo

$93 11.5% 13.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Antipolo

$137 16.9% 44.8% $42

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Antipolo

$95 11.8% 24.1% $18

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Antipolo

$17 2.1% 71.3% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Antipolo

$46 5.7% 10% $5.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $443 in Antipolo. 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 37% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $24 in Antipolo. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $162 in Antipolo – so Antipolo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Antipolo

🕒 Local time

15:35 3:35 PM

16:35 4:35 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

887,399

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.97 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Antipolo 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Antipolo

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Antipolo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,213 in Antipolo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $443 in Antipolo. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $809 in Antipolo. That makes Antipolo about 14% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Antipolo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $809 in Antipolo. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Antipolo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.