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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $635 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $923 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,211 in Bulacan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bulacan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$1.95 ₱122

6.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$15.69 ₱986

24.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.71 ₱170

109.23%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.77 ₱111

2.26%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.50 ₱31.56

54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 ₱15.57

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.94 ₱59.0

135.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.57 ₱98.9

141.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.63 ₱102

25.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.10 ₱69.1

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.87 ₱54.6

60.92%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.76 ₱111

28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$2.72 ₱171

495.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.49 ₱219

-16.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$5.95 ₱374

58.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.02 ₱127

32.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.57 ₱98.6

-30.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.00 ₱126

-19.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.08 ₱67.6

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.58 ₱99.2

-18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.77 ₱112

-40.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.66 ₱41.33

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.53 ₱33.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.93 ₱184

44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$3.56 ₱223

413.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$0.92 ₱58.0

77.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.58 ₱99.3

83.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.19 ₱11.63

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$6.71 ₱422

701.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.70 ₱44.28

67.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.18 ₱11.00

222.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$1.93 ₱121

23.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.04 ₱65.7

39.42%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-2.23%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$16.0K ₱1.0M

65.16%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$114 ₱7,193

-44.41%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$17.31 ₱1,087

-25.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$23.30 ₱1,464

-11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$36.36 ₱2,284

7.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$0.78 ₱48.73

402.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.15 ₱323

27.77%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$96.5 ₱6,064

712.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$972 ₱61.1K

1409.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$28.30 ₱1,778

94.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$19.31 ₱1,213

28.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$74.4 ₱4,676

26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$54.7 ₱3,434

35.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$237 ₱14.9K

107.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$149 ₱9,347

93.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$381 ₱23.9K

134.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$215 ₱13.5K

142.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,900 ₱119.4K

3.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,418 ₱89.1K

1.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$296 ₱18.6K

103.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $237 in Bulacan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 103% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $146 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $952 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $932 in Chiang Mai and $635 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 701% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $635 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.