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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $702 in Binangonan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,202 in Binangonan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,703 in Binangonan.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 21% more expensive than in Binangonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Binangonan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.66 ₱285

-56.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.03 ₱1,287

-11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.17 ₱194

147.95%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.72 ₱166

-25.37%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.95 ₱58.4

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.37 ₱22.93

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.45 ₱88.6

47.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.70 ₱166

35.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.92 ₱117

-9.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.22 ₱74.4

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.04 ₱63.8

15.38%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.00 ₱122

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.90 ₱423

135.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.33 ₱265

-29.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.32 ₱509

29.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.54 ₱216

-21.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.54 ₱94.1

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.98 ₱182

-42.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.66 ₱101

-4.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.72 ₱167

-48.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$3.02 ₱185

-61.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.64 ₱100

-59.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.64 ₱39.33

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.28 ₱201

41.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.57 ₱463

134.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.45 ₱88.8

23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.03 ₱124

64.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.26 ₱15.85

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$7.03 ₱430

165.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.86 ₱52.7

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.22 ₱13.45

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.11 ₱129

284.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.10 ₱67.0

11.82%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$25.5K ₱1.6M

-15.84%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

5.49%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$135 ₱8,273

-47.22%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$21.64 ₱1,325

-35.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$27.72 ₱1,697

-35.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$34.40 ₱2,106

18.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$4.31 ₱264

59.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.63 ₱406

-13.73%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$80.5 ₱4,928

282.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,766 ₱169.3K

430.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$31.50 ₱1,928

77.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.09 ₱1,842

-13.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$83.6 ₱5,114

1.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$45.95 ₱2,813

54.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$264 ₱16.1K

60.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$75.2 ₱4,605

222.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$591 ₱36.2K

34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$396 ₱24.2K

28.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,649 ₱162.2K

-27.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$862 ₱52.8K

69.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$426 ₱26.1K

39.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

-38.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Binangonan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $264 in Binangonan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 40% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $21.00 in Binangonan. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $213, with Binangonan 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 Binangonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binangonan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 40% 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $264 in Binangonan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $80.5 in Binangonan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Binangonan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Binangonan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Binangonan 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 Binangonan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.