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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $586 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $916 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,247 in Caloocan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Caloocan 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$2.41 ₱151

-13.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$16.60 ₱1,041

18.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.27 ₱142

149.78%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$0.94 ₱59.2

92.55%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.43 ₱26.89

79.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.31 ₱19.15

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$0.94 ₱59.0

135.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.61 ₱101

135.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.61 ₱101

27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.15 ₱72.1

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.93 ₱58.2

50.54%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.77 ₱111

27.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$1.86 ₱117

770.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.57 ₱161

12.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$5.14 ₱322

83.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.84 ₱115

45.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.02 ₱64.3

6.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.04 ₱128

-20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.07 ₱67.3

36.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.13 ₱70.8

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.71 ₱107

-38.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.67 ₱42.10

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.52 ₱32.38

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.85 ₱179

48.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.64 ₱291

294.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.96 ₱60.3

69.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.00 ₱125

45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.22 ₱13.65

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.75 ₱46.95

56.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.23 ₱14.40

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.88 ₱118

27.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.90 ₱56.6

61.11%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

-2.58%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

38.52%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$53.0 ₱3,321

20.21%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.76 ₱612

32.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$23.11 ₱1,449

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$4.83 ₱303

707.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.02 ₱315

31.08%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$132 ₱8,289

493.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$10.5K ₱661.4K

39.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$29.19 ₱1,831

88.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$19.37 ₱1,215

27.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$49.35 ₱3,095

90.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$42.84 ₱2,687

72.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$266 ₱16.7K

84.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$235 ₱14.8K

22.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$526 ₱33.0K

69.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$468 ₱29.4K

11.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$267 ₱16.8K

124.91%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $266 in Caloocan. 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 125% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $135 – making Caloocan 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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $878 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caloocan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $17.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $586, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Caloocan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caloocan costs $586 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Caloocan. 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.