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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 28% more expensive than Boracay without rent, and 9.1% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 11.8% more expensive than Boracay without rent, and 11% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.2
$3.05 ₱179
-33.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿588
$21.16 ₱1,238
-12.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$4.92 ₱288
52.03%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.2
$2.45 ₱144
-18.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.81
$1.27 ₱74.5
-33.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.13
$0.28 ₱16.41
25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.0
$1.31 ₱76.4
68.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$2.17 ₱127
73.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.4
$1.82 ₱106
-5.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.7
$1.22 ₱71.3
33.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.66
$0.86 ₱50.4
34.88%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.6
$2.73 ₱160
-27.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿504
$8.18 ₱478
94.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$4.21 ₱246
-24.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿345
$7.62 ₱446
43.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.7
$2.89 ₱169
-8.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.70
$1.47 ₱86.2
-17.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.7
$2.67 ₱156
-36.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.3
$1.44 ₱84.2
10.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.90
$1.73 ₱101
-23.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.99
$2.62 ₱153
-55.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.46
$1.10 ₱64.4
-38.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.64
$0.72 ₱42.12
-22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$3.93 ₱230
14.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿604
$7.83 ₱458
143.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.0
$1.21 ₱70.9
46.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$1.95 ₱114
63.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.47
$0.36 ₱21.21
166.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿598
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.98
$0.82 ₱48.16
65.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.80
$0.24 ₱14.11
462.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿254
$2.10 ₱123
282.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.34
$1.21 ₱71.1
2.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿669.8K
$27.0K ₱1.6M
-21.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿688.5K
$20.7K ₱1.2M
5.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,255
$116 ₱6,798
-38.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿446
$8.61 ₱504
63.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿553
$38.58 ₱2,257
-54.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,332
$53.1 ₱3,108
-20.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$4.31 ₱252
59.63%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$4.22 ₱247
40.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,728
$151 ₱8,846
103.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿468.2K
$4,057 ₱237.3K
264.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,762
$46.23 ₱2,705
20.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿848
$27.03 ₱1,581
-0.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,634
$75.5 ₱4,417
10.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,219
$53.4 ₱3,126
31.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$266 ₱15.5K
60.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,504
$176 ₱10.3K
34.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$587 ₱34.4K
36.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$767 ₱44.9K
-34.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.2K
$2,430 ₱142.2K
-15.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.5K
$736 ₱43.1K
108.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Boracay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
$251 ₱14.7K
160.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
6.67
-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Boracay: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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