Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Calbayog Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Calbayog

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $694 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,068 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,442 in Calbayog, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Calbayog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.51 ₱213

-43.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$17.67 ₱1,073

6.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.40 ₱207

127.94%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.36 ₱143

-18.64%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.78 ₱47.20

1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.39 ₱23.88

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.31 ₱79.4

68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.18 ₱132

67.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.29 ₱78.6

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.27 ₱77.4

28.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.92 ₱56.0

29.35%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.09 ₱127

-4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.91 ₱480

102.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.90 ₱237

-22.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.70 ₱467

41.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.64 ₱99.9

68.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.99 ₱60.2

19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.63 ₱160

-37.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.55 ₱94.3

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.27 ₱138

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.60 ₱158

-54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.12 ₱67.9

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.71 ₱43.41

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.40 ₱267

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.01 ₱486

106.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.75 ₱45.56

144.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$0.95 ₱57.5

236.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.28 ₱17.17

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$21.00 ₱1,275

-10.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.82 ₱49.78

65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.22 ₱13.32

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.14 ₱130

266.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.52 ₱92.2

-19.08%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-19.88%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

12.25%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$114 ₱6,905

-37.97%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$33.28 ₱2,021

-58.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$28.01 ₱1,701

-37.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$33.49 ₱2,033

23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.39 ₱266

58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.98 ₱363

-3.51%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$149 ₱9,064

105.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,363 ₱264.9K

234.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$46.56 ₱2,827

19.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$26.93 ₱1,635

-2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.9 ₱4,609

12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$53.1 ₱3,227

35.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$177 ₱10.7K

143.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$106 ₱6,432

125.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$342 ₱20.7K

139.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$186 ₱11.3K

175.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,435 ₱147.8K

-18.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,019 ₱61.9K

45.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$153 ₱9,312

303.51%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $177 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 run about 304% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $183 – making Calbayog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,040 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Calbayog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $694 in Calbayog, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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