Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $760 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,122 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,484 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 13% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$3.88 ₱239

-49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$14.45 ₱890

26.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$3.38 ₱208

121.30%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.52 ₱155

-19.84%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.98 ₱60.1

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.36 ₱21.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.46 ₱90.0

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.39 ₱147

50.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.65 ₱102

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.91 ₱55.8

72.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$0.92 ₱56.6

29.35%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.40 ₱147

-19.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.11 ₱376

164.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$3.64 ₱224

-17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$6.64 ₱409

64.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$2.33 ₱143

16.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.13 ₱69.9

3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.37 ₱146

-28.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.28 ₱78.6

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$2.26 ₱139

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$2.81 ₱173

-57.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.91 ₱55.8

-26.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.47 ₱28.72

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.49 ₱153

86.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$3.99 ₱246

341.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.42 ₱87.3

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.55 ₱95.6

112.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.41 ₱25.24

114.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$8.46 ₱521

128.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$0.70 ₱42.93

94.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$0.22 ₱13.54

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.07 ₱127

296.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.14 ₱70.4

7.02%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

4.24%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

15.68%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$106 ₱6,542

-33.49%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$39.96 ₱2,460

-64.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$33.15 ₱2,041

-47.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$21.81 ₱1,343

93.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.32 ₱204

107.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.56 ₱281

29.82%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$186 ₱11.5K

65.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$2,518 ₱155.1K

490.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$35.44 ₱2,182

57.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$14.29 ₱880

82.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$56.6 ₱3,482

46.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$43.47 ₱2,676

62.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$356 ₱21.9K

21.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$214 ₱13.2K

11.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$579 ₱35.6K

42.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$374 ₱23.0K

36.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$1,611 ₱99.2K

18.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$989 ₱60.9K

48.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$313 ₱19.3K

84.93%

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 Cagayan de Oro City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $356 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 85% 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 $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $169 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $760 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 85% 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 $356 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $14.00 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 Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.