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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $836 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,222 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,609 in Dagupan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dagupan 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.23 ₱199

-39.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$13.54 ₱835

38.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.81 ₱297

64.66%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.76 ₱170

-30.80%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.51 ₱31.26

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.28 ₱17.28

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.34 ₱82.9

64.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.98 ₱184

27.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.11 ₱130

-22.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.44 ₱88.6

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.89 ₱55.2

32.58%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.19 ₱135

-8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.49 ₱401

144.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.40 ₱272

-31.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.81 ₱482

37.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$4.40 ₱271

-40.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.97 ₱122

-38.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.71 ₱167

-37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.26 ₱77.5

25.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$3.15 ₱194

-58.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.96 ₱183

-60.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.10 ₱67.7

-39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.59 ₱36.52

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.74 ₱169

65.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.69 ₱351

219.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.00 ₱61.7

83.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.12 ₱131

52.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.24 ₱14.82

270.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.69 ₱42.32

95.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.38 ₱23.45

255.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.47 ₱214

137.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.12 ₱69.0

13.39%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$33.5K ₱2.1M

-36.93%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$22.3K ₱1.4M

0.98%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$113 ₱6,987

-38.07%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$26.87 ₱1,658

-48.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$29.55 ₱1,822

-40.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.99 ₱2,282

12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.82 ₱359

-0.69%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$328 ₱20.2K

-6.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,806 ₱481.5K

89.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$59.3 ₱3,657

-8.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$8.77 ₱541

198.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$85.1 ₱5,249

-0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$122 ₱7,507

-42.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$218 ₱13.5K

94.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$173 ₱10.7K

37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$529 ₱32.6K

56.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$296 ₱18.2K

74.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$500 ₱30.8K

204.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$242 ₱14.9K

162.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $218 in Dagupan. 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 162% 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 $14.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $211 – making Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Dagupan, 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 $1,254 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dagupan, 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 $14.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $836 in Dagupan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dagupan costs $836 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 Dagupan. 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.