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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $736 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,190 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,645 in Bacolod, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bacolod 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$2.24 ₱138

-13.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$17.17 ₱1,060

8.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.97 ₱245

96.98%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.96 ₱183

-34.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.64 ₱101

-48.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.21 ₱74.9

-71.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.28 ₱78.8

66.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.94 ₱119

92.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.73 ₱107

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.25 ₱76.8

30.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.91 ₱55.9

25.27%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.77 ₱109

9.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.64 ₱595

68.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.62 ₱470

-59.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.76 ₱479

40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.85 ₱238

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.73 ₱168

-55.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.58 ₱159

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.65 ₱39.85

144.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.32 ₱143

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.27 ₱140

-48.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.10 ₱67.9

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.13 ₱69.5

-53.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.05 ₱188

53.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.96 ₱59.1

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 ₱123

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.18 ₱10.86

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.62 ₱655

80.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.78 ₱48.43

80.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.24 ₱14.79

437.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.17 ₱134

261.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.24 ₱76.5

2.42%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$25.3K ₱1.6M

-15.93%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$30.6K ₱1.9M

-27.43%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$103 ₱6,364

-33.03%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$35.67 ₱2,201

-60.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.89 ₱1,721

-35.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$26.22 ₱1,618

56.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$2.58 ₱159

169.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.86 ₱300

21.81%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$35.27 ₱2,176

747.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$4,330 ₱267.2K

245.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$55.3 ₱3,412

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$26.06 ₱1,608

2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$50.1 ₱3,090

69.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$43.72 ₱2,698

61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$227 ₱14.0K

88.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$148 ₱9,161

59.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$495 ₱30.5K

61.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$430 ₱26.5K

19.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$207 ₱12.8K

198.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $227 in Bacolod. 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 199% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $218 – making Bacolod 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $736 in Bacolod – roughly 18% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,104 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 81% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $35.27 in Bacolod. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $736 in Bacolod, 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 $736 in Bacolod 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 Bacolod. 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.