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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $675 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,053 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,432 in Caloocan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.56 ₱220

-44.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$13.50 ₱832

39.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$2.71 ₱167

192.25%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.13 ₱70.0

69.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.47 ₱29.00

78.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.37 ₱22.87

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.35 ₱83.4

63.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.96 ₱121

93.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.90 ₱117

-13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.19 ₱73.4

36.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.04 ₱64.3

13.46%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.01 ₱124

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$2.17 ₱134

632.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.81 ₱173

7.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.50 ₱340

95.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.05 ₱127

27.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.10 ₱67.7

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.34 ₱144

-27.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.22 ₱75.5

29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.22 ₱75.2

8.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.29 ₱141

-48.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.72 ₱44.52

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.59 ₱36.23

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.18 ₱196

42.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.98 ₱307

265.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.08 ₱66.6

69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.28 ₱141

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.22 ₱13.60

304.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.79 ₱48.55

70.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.24 ₱14.82

462.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.32 ₱143

255.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.11 ₱68.2

14.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.5K ₱2.0M

-34.93%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

8.69%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.0 ₱3,763

14.98%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.60 ₱654

29.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$26.26 ₱1,620

-32.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$5.20 ₱321

699.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.41 ₱272

49.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.84 ₱360

-1.03%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$150 ₱9,272

103.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,807 ₱296.5K

208.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$48.06 ₱2,964

13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.23 ₱1,679

-4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$53.2 ₱3,281

58.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$47.05 ₱2,902

47.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$284 ₱17.5K

48.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$264 ₱16.3K

-9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$592 ₱36.5K

39.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$526 ₱32.4K

-2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,325 ₱143.4K

-11.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$275 ₱16.9K

131.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $284 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 131% 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $151 – 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 26% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,013 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $675 in Caloocan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caloocan costs $675 versus $852 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.