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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $750 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,121 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,493 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 16% more expensive than Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.67 ₱226

-47.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.04 ₱866

32.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.44 ₱212

127.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.62 ₱162

-25.57%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.96 ₱59.2

-11.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.36 ₱22.11

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.45 ₱89.4

46.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.47 ₱152

51.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.66 ₱102

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.98 ₱60.3

66.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.98 ₱60.2

16.33%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.40 ₱148

-19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.08 ₱375

166.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.48 ₱215

-10.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.43 ₱397

69.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.24 ₱138

22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.13 ₱69.9

7.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.29 ₱141

-29.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.22 ₱75.2

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.26 ₱139

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.79 ₱172

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.85 ₱52.3

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.51 ₱31.16

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.40 ₱148

95.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$3.95 ₱244

372.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.34 ₱82.9

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.56 ₱96.3

107.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.41 ₱25.24

119.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$8.72 ₱538

120.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.68 ₱41.72

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.22 ₱13.49

486.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.18 ₱134

259.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.14 ₱70.3

11.40%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

5.30%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

17.73%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$105 ₱6,471

-34.19%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$40.33 ₱2,487

-65.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$33.47 ₱2,064

-46.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$22.08 ₱1,362

85.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.27 ₱202

112.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.62 ₱285

28.14%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$190 ₱11.7K

57.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,462 ₱151.8K

507.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$35.46 ₱2,187

54.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$14.51 ₱895

84.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$58.7 ₱3,621

44.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$42.85 ₱2,642

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$362 ₱22.3K

18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$214 ₱13.2K

10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$581 ₱35.8K

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$383 ₱23.6K

34.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,668 ₱102.8K

18.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$994 ₱61.3K

48.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$313 ₱19.3K

96.97%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $362 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 97% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $168 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 16% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $750 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 97% more on average, 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $362 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% 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 $19.00 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 16% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.