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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $784 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,245 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,706 in Bayawan City.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 10% more expensive than in Bayawan City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bayawan City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.36 ₱268

-55.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.00 ₱1,478

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.50 ₱277

66.22%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.66 ₱163

-24.06%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.80 ₱49.06

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.46 ₱28.24

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.52 ₱93.8

40.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.11 ₱130

70.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.00 ₱123

-17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.50 ₱92.1

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.77 ₱47.28

54.55%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.37 ₱146

-18.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$12.83 ₱790

26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.14 ₱316

-41.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.66 ₱471

42.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.59 ₱221

-24.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.53 ₱94.2

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.42 ₱211

-50.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.27 ₱140

-29.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.65 ₱163

-47.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.55 ₱157

-52.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.97 ₱59.7

-30.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.78 ₱48.14

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.22 ₱198

44.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.82 ₱297

265.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.92 ₱56.4

102.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.27 ₱140

45.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.26 ₱15.79

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.84 ₱51.6

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.23 ₱14.10

482.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.70 ₱166

204.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.09 ₱67.2

11.93%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$30.6K ₱1.9M

-30.29%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$27.5K ₱1.7M

-17.96%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$95.4 ₱5,871

-25.89%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$34.78 ₱2,141

-59.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$29.34 ₱1,806

-40.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$33.90 ₱2,087

24.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.37 ₱269

57.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$1.74 ₱107

240.23%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$235 ₱14.5K

31.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,928 ₱241.8K

278.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$46.50 ₱2,863

19.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$22.83 ₱1,406

14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$74.8 ₱4,603

11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$55.6 ₱3,422

26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$261 ₱16.1K

65.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$175 ₱10.8K

36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$581 ₱35.8K

41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$402 ₱24.7K

27.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,717 ₱167.2K

-29.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$876 ₱53.9K

67.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$112 ₱6,914

415.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $261 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 416% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Bayawan City. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $232, with Bayawan City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bayawan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Bayawan City differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $784 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 416% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $261 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $235 in Bayawan City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bayawan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.