Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cauayan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cauayan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $682 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,055 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,428 in Cauayan City, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Cauayan City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cauayan City 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.53 ₱217

-44.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$13.17 ₱811

39.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.72 ₱167

175.00%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.24 ₱138

-9.82%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.30 ₱18.75

183.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.31 ₱19.06

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.09 ₱67.2

96.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.74 ₱107

106.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.65 ₱101

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.21 ₱74.5

29.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.93 ₱57.0

27.96%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.52 ₱93.3

27.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$4.82 ₱297

235.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.90 ₱240

-23.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.94 ₱427

57.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.15 ₱132

26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.83 ₱51.4

40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.11 ₱130

-19.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.69 ₱42.67

131.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.93 ₱57.3

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.36 ₱84.0

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.68 ₱41.73

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.73 ₱45.09

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.62 ₱161

77.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.83 ₱544

99.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.07 ₱66.1

73.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.09 ₱129

57.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.28 ₱17.38

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.93 ₱57.0

46.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.22 ₱13.49

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.45 ₱151

235.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.10 ₱67.8

10.91%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

19.80%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

9.71%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$90.1 ₱5,546

-21.55%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$34.70 ₱2,137

-59.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$26.66 ₱1,641

-34.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$33.87 ₱2,085

24.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.32 ₱266

59.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.22 ₱260

40.28%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$53.6 ₱3,303

475.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,788 ₱110.1K

732.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$26.83 ₱1,652

107.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$21.31 ₱1,312

22.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$53.0 ₱3,262

56.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$46.24 ₱2,847

52.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$262 ₱16.1K

64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$175 ₱10.8K

36.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$596 ₱36.7K

37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$402 ₱24.7K

27.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,592 ₱159.6K

-26.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,003 ₱61.7K

46.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$212 ₱13.1K

172.88%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cauayan City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Cauayan City. 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 173% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Cauayan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $165 – making Cauayan City 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 Cauayan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $682 in Cauayan City – roughly 26% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,023 in Cauayan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $682 in Cauayan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $53.6 in Cauayan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $682 in Cauayan City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $682 in Cauayan City to $861 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cauayan City. 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.