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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $695 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,425 in Calbayog, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Calbayog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.61 ₱221

-45.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$18.04 ₱1,104

4.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$3.36 ₱206

135.71%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.47 ₱151

-22.67%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.79 ₱48.07

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.37 ₱22.41

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.36 ₱83.2

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.10 ₱128

80.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.35 ₱82.7

21.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.27 ₱77.6

27.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.00 ₱61.2

18.00%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$2.10 ₱128

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$7.84 ₱480

102.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.84 ₱235

-21.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$7.61 ₱465

41.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.66 ₱102

57.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$0.93 ₱56.7

31.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.59 ₱158

-34.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.55 ₱95.0

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.28 ₱140

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.64 ₱161

-55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.12 ₱68.6

-40.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.70 ₱43.11

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$4.36 ₱266

3.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$5.77 ₱353

215.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$0.77 ₱46.81

137.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.00 ₱61.2

223.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.26 ₱15.87

242.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$20.88 ₱1,278

-7.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.79 ₱48.13

70.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.24 ₱14.77

462.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$2.15 ₱131

283.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.54 ₱94.2

-17.53%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-19.40%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

11.13%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$111 ₱6,806

-36.94%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$32.40 ₱1,982

-57.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$27.85 ₱1,704

-36.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$33.69 ₱2,061

23.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$4.56 ₱279

44.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.05 ₱370

-4.46%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$154 ₱9,423

98.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$4,233 ₱259.0K

250.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$45.05 ₱2,756

20.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$26.15 ₱1,600

-0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$74.4 ₱4,549

13.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$52.3 ₱3,200

32.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$176 ₱10.8K

140.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$106 ₱6,512

123.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$341 ₱20.8K

142.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$187 ₱11.4K

176.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$525 ₱32.1K

290.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$502 ₱30.7K

203.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$154 ₱9,442

311.55%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $176 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 312% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $179 – 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 23%, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,042 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 36% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $695 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.