Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabanatuan

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabanatuan: $601 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
29

Cost of Living Index in Cabanatuan
Learn more

Cabanatuan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Cabanatuan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$601

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $601 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Cabanatuan $601

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $954 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Cabanatuan $954

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,308 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Cabanatuan $1,308

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Cabanatuan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cabanatuan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$3.87 ₱246

-44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$16.59 ₱1,055

12.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$2.71 ₱172

106.64%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.74 ₱111

-4.60%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$0.60 ₱38.00

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.33 ₱21.20

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$0.94 ₱59.6

146.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.60 ₱102

129.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.64 ₱104

23.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$1.11 ₱70.5

27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$0.88 ₱55.7

57.95%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$2.04 ₱130

16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$4.87 ₱309

239.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$3.29 ₱209

-18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$7.57 ₱481

19.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$2.26 ₱144

6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.04 ₱65.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.39 ₱152

-30.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$0.81 ₱51.5

92.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$1.64 ₱104

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$1.71 ₱109

-36.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$0.88 ₱56.3

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.52 ₱32.96

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.93 ₱186

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$8.71 ₱554

105.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$0.88 ₱55.7

84.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$2.06 ₱131

36.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.24 ₱15.28

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$12.40 ₱789

326.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$0.81 ₱51.3

45.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.20 ₱12.75

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.86 ₱118

-2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$0.95 ₱60.5

54.74%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$21.3K ₱1.4M

-1.57%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

37.47%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$52.5 ₱3,335

19.28%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$17.00 ₱1,081

-31.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$21.22 ₱1,349

-4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$10.94 ₱695

246.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$5.15 ₱327

-28.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.05 ₱321

28.91%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$132 ₱8,365

452.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$10.7K ₱682.1K

54.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$23.07 ₱1,467

132.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$19.29 ₱1,227

28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$57.8 ₱3,674

56.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$55.8 ₱3,549

28.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$250 ₱15.9K

92.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$164 ₱10.4K

88.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$485 ₱30.8K

118.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$349 ₱22.2K

88.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$2,631 ₱167.3K

-8.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,099 ₱69.9K

46.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$159 ₱10.1K

274.77%

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Cabanatuan

$164 27.3% 47% $146

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Cabanatuan

$168 28% 29% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Cabanatuan

$70 11.7% 35.2% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Cabanatuan

$91 15.1% 4% $3.8

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Cabanatuan

$72 11.9% 6.5% $4.9

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Cabanatuan

$15 2.5% 74.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Cabanatuan

$21 3.5% 58.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $250 in Cabanatuan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 3.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $17 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $168 – making Cabanatuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Cabanatuan

🕒 Local time

05:39 5:39 AM

06:39 6:39 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

302,231

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 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 November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Cabanatuan 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Cabanatuan

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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai, $601 in Cabanatuan – Cabanatuan comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $901 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabanatuan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $250 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $17 in Cabanatuan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $601 in Cabanatuan. That makes Cabanatuan about 36% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $601 in Cabanatuan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cabanatuan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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