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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $761 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,212 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,664 in Bacolod, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bacolod 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.17 ₱133

-9.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$16.61 ₱1,022

10.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.92 ₱241

90.82%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.84 ₱175

-28.87%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.62 ₱100

-47.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.22 ₱75.4

-70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.30 ₱80.2

64.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.91 ₱117

87.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.75 ₱108

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.20 ₱74.2

30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.92 ₱56.8

29.35%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.84 ₱114

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.06 ₱619

60.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.32 ₱451

-59.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.76 ₱478

40.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.90 ₱240

-30.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.72 ₱167

-56.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.70 ₱166

-37.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.64 ₱39.69

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.32 ₱143

-40.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.17 ₱134

-44.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.11 ₱68.1

-39.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.08 ₱66.5

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.94 ₱181

57.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.99 ₱61.1

87.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.96 ₱121

68.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.18 ₱11.27

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$10.79 ₱664

79.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.78 ₱48.31

74.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.24 ₱14.71

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.15 ₱132

281.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.24 ₱76.3

-1.61%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$24.5K ₱1.5M

-12.72%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$31.1K ₱1.9M

-27.45%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$100.0 ₱6,154

-29.30%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$36.07 ₱2,221

-61.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$27.07 ₱1,667

-35.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$26.81 ₱1,651

57.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$2.67 ₱164

157.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.07 ₱312

16.77%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$34.91 ₱2,149

783.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,322 ₱266.1K

244.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$55.5 ₱3,416

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$26.52 ₱1,633

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$49.55 ₱3,050

67.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$44.74 ₱2,755

57.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$229 ₱14.1K

88.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$146 ₱8,962

64.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$495 ₱30.5K

66.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$427 ₱26.3K

19.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$214 ₱13.2K

170.22%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $229 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 170% 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 Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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: $861 in Chiang Mai, $761 in Bacolod – roughly 13% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,141 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 79% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $34.91 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $761 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 $761 in Bacolod to $861 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.