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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 8% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Boracay 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.16 ₱194

-37.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$21.07 ₱1,297

-12.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.81 ₱296

55.51%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.37 ₱146

-14.77%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.27 ₱78.4

-33.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.26 ₱15.86

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.31 ₱80.5

63.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.17 ₱134

65.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.80 ₱111

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.26 ₱77.4

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.87 ₱53.8

36.78%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.60 ₱160

-25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.88 ₱485

105.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.13 ₱254

-27.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.83 ₱482

39.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.99 ₱184

-9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.48 ₱91.2

-20.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.58 ₱159

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.44 ₱88.6

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.79 ₱110

-22.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.60 ₱160

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.06 ₱65.2

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.71 ₱43.94

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.87 ₱238

19.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.26 ₱508

113.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.21 ₱74.6

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.02 ₱125

63.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.36 ₱22.34

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.82 ₱50.7

65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.24 ₱14.80

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.07 ₱127

296.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.28 ₱78.7

-4.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-19.71%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

9.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$117 ₱7,185

-39.44%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.78 ₱540

59.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$39.13 ₱2,409

-55.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$53.7 ₱3,306

-21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.30 ₱265

60.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.23 ₱261

39.95%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$149 ₱9,180

106.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,041 ₱248.8K

268.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$46.67 ₱2,873

19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$26.65 ₱1,641

-2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$75.6 ₱4,654

9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$52.9 ₱3,253

33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$261 ₱16.1K

65.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$179 ₱11.0K

33.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$581 ₱35.7K

41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$742 ₱45.7K

-30.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,397 ₱147.6K

-20.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$957 ₱58.9K

53.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$238 ₱14.7K

143.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Chiang Mai pays 143% 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 $21.00 in Boracay. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $204, with Boracay 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Boracay differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $797 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 143% 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 Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $149 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 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 Boracay 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 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 8% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.