Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Davao

For one person, living is cheaper in Davao: $839 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 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
40

Cost of Living Index in Davao
Learn more

Davao Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Davao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Davao

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 Davao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $839 in Davao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Davao $839

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,275 in Davao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Davao $1,275

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,712 in Davao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Davao $1,712

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Davao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Davao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Davao 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$4.71 ₱300

-52.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$26.33 ₱1,678

-27.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.83 ₱244

44.91%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.53 ₱161

-33.99%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.06 ₱67.5

-39.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.62 ₱39.77

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.53 ₱97.3

54.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.38 ₱151

53.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.96 ₱125

-0.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$1.07 ₱68.2

34.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$0.91 ₱58.1

46.15%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.84 ₱117

23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$6.41 ₱408

156.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.59 ₱293

-39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$8.97 ₱572

3.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.68 ₱171

-12.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$1.06 ₱67.6

-8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.43 ₱155

-34.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.14 ₱72.5

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$1.99 ₱126

-35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$3.35 ₱214

-67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.24 ₱78.9

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.71 ₱45.18

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.46 ₱157

68.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.99 ₱509

119.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.27 ₱80.7

26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$1.58 ₱101

75.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$0.21 ₱13.37

314.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$13.16 ₱839

311.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$0.81 ₱51.6

43.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.24 ₱15.38

120.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$1.83 ₱117

32.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.22 ₱77.4

18.85%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$21.3K ₱1.4M

-1.30%

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

41.46%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$105 ₱6,684

-40.73%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$19.14 ₱1,219

-36.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$30.17 ₱1,922

-33.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$34.37 ₱2,190

8.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$3.44 ₱219

9.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.75 ₱303

36.63%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$104 ₱6,646

605.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$7,536 ₱480.2K

95.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$61.0 ₱3,890

-12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$30.74 ₱1,959

-19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$69.7 ₱4,440

31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$60.1 ₱3,829

19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$350 ₱22.3K

37.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$229 ₱14.6K

34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$723 ₱46.1K

39.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$404 ₱25.7K

56.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$1,584 ₱100.9K

49.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,364 ₱86.9K

16.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$207 ₱13.2K

184.81%

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 Davao: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Davao

$229 27.3% 25.8% $80

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Davao

$197 23.5% 15.9% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Davao

$100 11.9% 8.2% $8.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Davao

$154 18.4% 63.2% $60

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Davao

$99 11.8% 27.1% $21

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Davao

$16 1.9% 73.9% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Davao

$44 5.2% 12.7% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $350 in Davao. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $26 in Davao. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Davao – so Davao wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Davao

🕒 Local time

02:26 2:26 AM

03:26 3:26 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,632,991

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 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 November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 63.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.15 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Davao 3,160 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Davao

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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Davao, 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 $1,258 in Davao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Davao, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $350 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $104 in Davao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Davao costs $839 versus $936 in Chiang Mai. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Davao. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.