Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Calbayog

For one person, living is cheaper in Calbayog: $723 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Calbayog
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Calbayog Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Calbayog

🇵🇭 Philippines

$723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $723 in Calbayog, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Calbayog $723

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,104 in Calbayog, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Calbayog $1,104

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,484 in Calbayog, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Calbayog $1,484

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Calbayog, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Calbayog 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$4.02 ₱255

-47.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$16.24 ₱1,029

14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$2.76 ₱175

102.90%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.15 ₱136

-22.79%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$0.68 ₱43.26

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.31 ₱19.53

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$1.14 ₱72.3

103.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.12 ₱134

73.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.61 ₱102

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.14 ₱72.2

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$0.97 ₱61.2

43.30%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.92 ₱122

23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$5.63 ₱357

193.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$4.15 ₱263

-35.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$7.08 ₱449

27.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$2.31 ₱146

3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.56 ₱99.0

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$2.30 ₱146

-27.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.16 ₱73.6

34.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$2.03 ₱129

-38.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$2.22 ₱141

-50.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$1.10 ₱69.5

-30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.54 ₱33.91

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.88 ₱182

43.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$7.54 ₱478

137.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$0.94 ₱59.4

72.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.89 ₱120

49.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.24 ₱15.27

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$12.58 ₱797

320.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.78 ₱49.67

51.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.22 ₱13.94

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.85 ₱117

-2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.16 ₱73.3

26.72%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

1.95%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

39.87%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$118 ₱7,494

-47.11%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$15.41 ₱976

-24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$23.86 ₱1,512

-14.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$31.71 ₱2,009

19.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$5.15 ₱327

-28.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.22 ₱331

24.71%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$130 ₱8,226

459.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$7,709 ₱488.4K

114.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$32.11 ₱2,034

66.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$19.07 ₱1,208

30.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$71.6 ₱4,539

26.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$55.3 ₱3,503

30.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$250 ₱15.8K

92.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$169 ₱10.7K

83.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$487 ₱30.8K

117.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$352 ₱22.3K

87.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$2,619 ₱165.9K

-7.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,124 ₱71.2K

43.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$149 ₱9,466

298.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.92

-19.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Calbayog

$169 23.4% 45.4% $141

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Calbayog

$179 24.7% 24.4% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Calbayog

$80 11.1% 26% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Calbayog

$158 21.8% 66.8% $63

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Calbayog

$80 11.1% 4.6% $3.6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Calbayog

$15 2.1% 73.7% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Calbayog

$42 5.8% 17.2% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $250 in Calbayog. 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 4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $179 – making Calbayog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Calbayog

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

10:10 10:10 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

183,851

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 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 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 63.36 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71.33 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Calbayog 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Calbayog

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 Calbayog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,085 in Calbayog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $16 in Calbayog. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

If budget matters most, go with Calbayog. 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.