Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boracay

For one person, living is cheaper in Boracay: $767 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Boracay
Learn more

Boracay Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Boracay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$767

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $767 in Boracay.

Chiang Mai $925
Boracay $767

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $1,309 in Boracay.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Boracay $1,309

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $1,852 in Boracay.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Boracay $1,852

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 21% more expensive than in Boracay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Boracay 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$5.41 ₱341

-57.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$19.31 ₱1,216

1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.92 ₱373

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.34 ₱147

-29.06%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.65 ₱41.15

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.23 ₱14.45

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.16 ₱73.1

107.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$1.88 ₱118

97.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.84 ₱179

-31.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.21 ₱76.3

16.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.91 ₱57.4

43.96%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.89 ₱119

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$5.35 ₱337

211.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.69 ₱295

-41.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$7.68 ₱484

18.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.64 ₱166

-9.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.56 ₱98.0

-33.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.62 ₱165

-37.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.27 ₱79.7

18.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.83 ₱115

-29.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.72 ₱108

-35.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.89 ₱56.3

-19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.51 ₱31.88

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.28 ₱144

89.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$7.74 ₱487

131.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.05 ₱66.0

50.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.05 ₱129

38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.26 ₱16.36

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$11.28 ₱710

372.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.77 ₱48.21

57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.19 ₱11.90

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$1.82 ₱114

29.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.12 ₱70.5

28.57%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

1.03%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$17.4K ₱1.1M

53.92%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$109 ₱6,893

-43.06%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$14.77 ₱930

-18.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$34.01 ₱2,141

-41.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$35.58 ₱2,240

4.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$5.31 ₱334

-28.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$5.03 ₱317

29.22%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$113 ₱7,126

600.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$7,986 ₱502.8K

85.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$32.97 ₱2,076

63.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$20.20 ₱1,272

21.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$64.0 ₱4,031

41.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$53.1 ₱3,345

33.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$263 ₱16.6K

72.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$173 ₱10.9K

72.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$520 ₱32.7K

74.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$619 ₱39.0K

-10.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$2,427 ₱152.8K

-20.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$996 ₱62.7K

44.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$226 ₱14.2K

161.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.79

-17.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Boracay: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Boracay

$173 22.5% 42% $125

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Boracay

$197 25.7% 16.3% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Boracay

$77 10% 29.1% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Boracay

$158 20.6% 67.7% $64

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Boracay

$102 13.3% 30.1% $24

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Boracay

$14 1.8% 76.9% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Boracay

$46 6% 8.8% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Chiang Mai and $263 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 162% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $19.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $197 per month, with Boracay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Boracay

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

12,296

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Boracay 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Boracay

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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Boracay differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($925 vs $767 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 162% 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: $455 in Chiang Mai versus $263 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $767 in Boracay versus $925 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Boracay 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 Boracay 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.