Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cotabato City

For one person, living is cheaper in Cotabato City: $738 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Cotabato City
Learn more

Cotabato City Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Cotabato City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Cotabato 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 Cotabato City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $738 in Cotabato City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Cotabato City $738

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,139 in Cotabato City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Cotabato City $1,139

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,539 in Cotabato City, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Cotabato City $1,539

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Cotabato City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Cotabato City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cotabato City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$4.81 ₱307

-53.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$16.14 ₱1,031

17.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$3.97 ₱254

39.80%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.17 ₱139

-23.04%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.06 ₱67.6

-39.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.62 ₱39.75

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.14 ₱73.1

107.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.08 ₱133

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.01 ₱128

-2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.08 ₱68.8

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.75 ₱48.19

77.33%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.90 ₱121

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$6.44 ₱411

155.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.59 ₱293

-39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.44 ₱603

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.76 ₱176

-14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.10 ₱70.0

-11.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.40 ₱153

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.17 ₱74.7

28.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.97 ₱126

-35.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$3.30 ₱211

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.24 ₱78.9

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.66 ₱42.15

-25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.40 ₱154

72.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.03 ₱513

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.27 ₱80.9

26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.64 ₱105

69.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.22 ₱13.98

295.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$11.32 ₱723

377.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.76 ₱48.30

52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.22 ₱13.97

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.85 ₱118

30.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.10 ₱70.2

31.82%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

1.15%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$18.8K ₱1.2M

43.55%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$108 ₱6,875

-42.22%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$18.43 ₱1,178

-33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$30.97 ₱1,978

-35.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$30.96 ₱1,978

20.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$5.25 ₱335

-28.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.73 ₱302

37.21%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$105 ₱6,684

603.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$7,282 ₱465.3K

102.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$32.48 ₱2,075

64.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$19.49 ₱1,246

26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$69.5 ₱4,438

31.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$60.5 ₱3,862

19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$224 ₱14.3K

115.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$153 ₱9,753

102.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$447 ₱28.6K

124.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$333 ₱21.3K

90.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,692 ₱172.0K

-12.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,003 ₱64.1K

58.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.31

-32.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Cotabato City

$153 20.7% 50.6% $156

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Cotabato City

$199 26.9% 15.1% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Cotabato City

$82 11.1% 24.7% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Cotabato City

$157 21.3% 66.2% $63

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Cotabato City

$93 12.6% 20% $16

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Cotabato City

$14 1.9% 77.1% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cotabato City

$40 5.5% 19.6% $9.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $224 in Cotabato 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 Cotabato City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $199 – making Cotabato City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Cotabato City

🕒 Local time

05:14 5:14 AM

06:14 6:14 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

325,079

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Cotabato City 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Cotabato 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 Cotabato City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Cotabato City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,107 in Cotabato City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cotabato City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $224 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $105 in Cotabato City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

For expats, Cotabato City is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 21% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.