Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cauayan City

For one person, living is cheaper in Cauayan City: $713 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Cauayan City
Learn more

Cauayan City Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Cauayan City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$713

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Cauayan City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Cauayan City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $713 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Cauayan City $713

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Cauayan City $1,058

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,403 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Cauayan City $1,403

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Cauayan City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Cauayan City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cauayan City 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$3.90 ₱249

-42.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$16.18 ₱1,036

17.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$2.74 ₱175

102.55%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$1.73 ₱111

-3.47%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$0.60 ₱38.22

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.34 ₱21.47

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$0.94 ₱60.0

151.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$1.52 ₱97.4

140.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.64 ₱105

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$1.14 ₱72.9

26.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$1.02 ₱65.1

30.39%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.00 ₱128

14.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$5.05 ₱323

225.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$3.30 ₱211

-15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$7.76 ₱497

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$2.26 ₱145

3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.50 ₱96.2

-35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.27 ₱146

-29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.02 ₱65.1

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$1.63 ₱105

-21.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$1.67 ₱107

-34.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$0.62 ₱39.45

14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.51 ₱32.65

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.87 ₱184

44.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$8.55 ₱547

104.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$0.96 ₱61.2

67.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$1.94 ₱124

43.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.20 ₱12.79

335.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$11.13 ₱712

385.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$0.77 ₱49.11

50.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$0.24 ₱15.40

120.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$1.94 ₱124

24.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$0.90 ₱57.8

61.11%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$21.2K ₱1.4M

-0.76%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

44.79%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$136 ₱8,678

-54.16%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$10.22 ₱654

19.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$22.48 ₱1,439

-10.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$30.76 ₱1,969

21.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$4.94 ₱316

-23.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.98 ₱319

30.32%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$130 ₱8,350

464.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$10.7K ₱687.0K

37.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$28.90 ₱1,849

84.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$19.42 ₱1,243

26.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$54.4 ₱3,479

68.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$54.1 ₱3,464

32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$226 ₱14.5K

113.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$176 ₱11.2K

75.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$460 ₱29.4K

118.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$327 ₱21.0K

93.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$2,599 ₱166.3K

-9.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,133 ₱72.5K

40.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cauayan City: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Cauayan City

$176 24.7% 43.1% $133

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Cauayan City

$172 24.1% 26.7% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Cauayan City

$71 9.9% 35% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Cauayan City

$168 23.6% 78.2% $74

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Cauayan City

$72 10% 7.7% $6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Cauayan City

$14 2% 77.3% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cauayan City

$41 5.7% 19% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $226 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Cauayan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $172 – making Cauayan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Cauayan City

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

08:15 8:15 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,616

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 63.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.56 USD). 1 EUR = 71.24 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Cauayan City 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Cauayan City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $936 in Chiang Mai, $713 in Cauayan City – Cauayan City comes out roughly 24% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,069 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $226 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $130 in Cauayan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $713 in Cauayan City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cauayan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Cauayan City is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 24% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.