Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City: $801 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Cagayan de Oro City
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Cagayan de Oro City Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Cagayan de Oro City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$801

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Cagayan de Oro City

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 Cagayan de Oro City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $801 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Chiang Mai $936
Cagayan de Oro City $801

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $1,142 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Cagayan de Oro City $1,142

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $1,484 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Cagayan de Oro City $1,484

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 17% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.52 ₱224

-36.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$12.33 ₱786

54.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$2.89 ₱184

92.04%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.26 ₱144

-26.11%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.69 ₱43.93

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.66 ₱42.31

-53.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.33 ₱84.7

77.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.00 ₱127

83.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.44 ₱91.7

35.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.89 ₱56.4

61.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.91 ₱57.7

46.15%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.06 ₱131

10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.08 ₱515

103.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.25 ₱207

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$5.77 ₱368

61.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.13 ₱136

10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.05 ₱67.1

-7.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.30 ₱146

-30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.12 ₱71.4

33.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.97 ₱126

-35.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$2.57 ₱164

-57.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.76 ₱48.37

-6.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.47 ₱30.23

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.92 ₱186

41.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$3.93 ₱251

345.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.26 ₱80.4

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.92 ₱122

44.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.29 ₱18.27

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$11.49 ₱732

370.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.62 ₱39.29

87.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.22 ₱14.04

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.90 ₱121

27.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.01 ₱64.6

43.56%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$20.9K ₱1.3M

0.98%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

40.79%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$131 ₱8,367

-52.68%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$22.03 ₱1,403

-44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$30.16 ₱1,921

-33.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$24.12 ₱1,536

54.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$2.80 ₱178

34.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.35 ₱277

49.20%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$64.3 ₱4,098

1044.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$2,231 ₱142.1K

561.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$31.70 ₱2,019

68.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$13.22 ₱842

86.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$50.4 ₱3,210

81.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$39.53 ₱2,518

81.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$424 ₱27.0K

13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$267 ₱17.0K

15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$667 ₱42.5K

50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$441 ₱28.1K

43.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,562 ₱99.5K

51.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$955 ₱60.9K

66.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$307 ₱19.6K

92.11%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Cagayan de Oro City

$267 33.3% 13.6% $42

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Cagayan de Oro City

$162 20.3% 30.7% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Cagayan de Oro City

$61 7.6% 44.1% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Cagayan de Oro City

$184 22.9% 94.3% $89

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Cagayan de Oro City

$80 10% 3.2% $2.5

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Cagayan de Oro City

$14 1.8% 76.6% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cagayan de Oro City

$33 4.1% 34.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $424 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 92% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $12 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $162 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Cagayan de Oro City

🕒 Local time

17:46 5:46 PM

18:46 6:46 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

728,402

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.08 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Cagayan de Oro City 2,990 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Cagayan de Oro City

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $801 in Cagayan de Oro City, so Cagayan de Oro City is about 14% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 92% 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: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $424 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 $12 versus $19 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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.