Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Binangonan

For one person, living is cheaper in Binangonan: $717 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 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
34

Cost of Living Index in Binangonan
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Binangonan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Binangonan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$717

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $717 in Binangonan.

Chiang Mai $935
Binangonan $717

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $1,079 in Binangonan.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Binangonan $1,079

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $1,441 in Binangonan.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Binangonan $1,441

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 30% more expensive than in Binangonan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Binangonan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$3.93 ₱250

-45.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$16.13 ₱1,026

15.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$2.69 ₱171

108.18%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.73 ₱110

-4.05%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$0.56 ₱35.49

16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.28 ₱17.81

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$1.27 ₱80.9

82.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.58 ₱101

132.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.65 ₱105

22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$1.15 ₱72.9

22.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$0.86 ₱54.5

61.63%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$1.74 ₱111

36.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$4.86 ₱309

239.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$3.27 ₱208

-18.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$7.56 ₱481

19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$2.28 ₱145

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.42 ₱90.3

-26.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.35 ₱149

-29.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.00 ₱63.7

56.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$1.64 ₱104

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$1.74 ₱111

-37.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$0.95 ₱60.2

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.48 ₱30.25

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.92 ₱186

41.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$7.40 ₱471

142.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$0.91 ₱57.6

78.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.78 ₱113

58.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.22 ₱13.96

322.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$12.43 ₱790

325.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$0.74 ₱47.19

59.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.20 ₱12.69

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.91 ₱122

-5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.16 ₱73.6

26.72%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.54%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$18.7K ₱1.2M

41.70%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$135 ₱8,600

-53.75%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$14.51 ₱923

-20.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$23.41 ₱1,488

-13.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$30.82 ₱1,960

22.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$5.14 ₱327

-28.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.03 ₱320

29.42%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$72.7 ₱4,625

899.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$2,443 ₱155.4K

578.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$27.98 ₱1,779

91.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$19.42 ₱1,234

27.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$70.6 ₱4,486

28.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$55.3 ₱3,518

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$245 ₱15.6K

96.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$170 ₱10.8K

82.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$485 ₱30.8K

118.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$344 ₱21.9K

91.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$2,595 ₱165.0K

-6.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,124 ₱71.4K

43.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$411 ₱26.1K

44.80%

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 Binangonan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Binangonan

$170 23.7% 45.2% $140

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Binangonan

$167 23.3% 29.4% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Binangonan

$78 10.9% 28% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Binangonan

$173 24.2% 83.3% $79

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Binangonan

$73 10.2% 4.5% $3.4

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Binangonan

$15 2.1% 74.4% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Binangonan

$41 5.7% 19.7% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $245 in Binangonan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 45% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $16 in Binangonan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $167 per month, with Binangonan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Binangonan

🕒 Local time

07:09 7:09 AM

08:09 8:09 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

313,631

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 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 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Chiang Mai
Binangonan

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 Binangonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binangonan is about 23% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $245 in Binangonan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $727 in Chiang Mai versus $73 in Binangonan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

Expats usually find Binangonan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.