Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Batangas

For one person, living is cheaper in Batangas: $610 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 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
29

Cost of Living Index in Batangas
Learn more

Batangas Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Batangas

🇵🇭 Philippines

$610

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Batangas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $610 in Batangas.

Chiang Mai $936
Batangas $610

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $887 in Batangas.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Batangas $887

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $1,165 in Batangas.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Batangas $1,165

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 53% more expensive than in Batangas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Batangas 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$2.14 ₱136

4.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$19.00 ₱1,210

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$2.63 ₱168

111.03%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.06 ₱131

-18.93%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.37 ₱23.81

72.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.28 ₱17.92

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.05 ₱66.8

124.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.40 ₱88.9

161.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.71 ₱109

14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.16 ₱73.8

24.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.77 ₱49.20

72.73%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.61 ₱103

41.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.49 ₱350

199.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.09 ₱261

-32.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.99 ₱445

33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.29 ₱146

2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.35 ₱85.8

-28.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.41 ₱153

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.16 ₱73.8

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$2.20 ₱140

-41.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$3.24 ₱206

-66.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.29 ₱81.9

-44.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.89 ₱56.4

-44.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.52 ₱161

64.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.55 ₱481

132.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.27 ₱81.1

26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.72 ₱110

61.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.63 ₱39.95

38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.76 ₱48.46

52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.21 ₱13.32

152.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.48 ₱158

-2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.01 ₱64.1

43.56%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$20.9K ₱1.3M

0.78%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

42.43%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$161 ₱10.3K

-61.50%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$14.33 ₱913

-15.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$23.93 ₱1,524

-15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$18.53 ₱1,180

101.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$12.48 ₱795

-69.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.63 ₱358

15.28%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$71.9 ₱4,577

924.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$1,239 ₱78.9K

1091.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$15.94 ₱1,015

234.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$22.67 ₱1,444

8.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$53.8 ₱3,429

69.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$39.82 ₱2,536

80.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$71.1 ₱4,530

334.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$156 ₱9,963

543.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$93.3 ₱5,942

578.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,500 ₱159.2K

-5.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,573 ₱100.2K

1.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$185 ₱11.8K

218.51%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Batangas: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Batangas

$71 11.7% 77% $238

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Batangas

$185 30.3% 21.1% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Batangas

$60 9.8% 45.2% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Batangas

$200 32.8% 112% $105

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Batangas

$60 9.9% 22.2% $17

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Batangas

$4.3 * 0.7% 93% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Batangas

$30 4.9% 40.8% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays about 3.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $19 in Batangas. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $185, with Batangas cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Batangas

🕒 Local time

20:51 8:51 PM

21:51 9:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

329,874

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.08 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Batangas 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Batangas

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 Batangas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $610 in Batangas, so Batangas is about 35% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Chiang Mai is about 3.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $736 in Chiang Mai versus $72 in Batangas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $610 in Batangas – Batangas is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Batangas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Batangas are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Batangas wins on affordability, Chiang Mai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.