Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dipolog

For one person, living is cheaper in Dipolog: $776 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Dipolog
Learn more

Dipolog Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Dipolog

🇵🇭 Philippines

$776

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Dipolog, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Dipolog $776

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,132 in Dipolog, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Dipolog $1,132

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,488 in Dipolog, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Dipolog $1,488

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Dipolog, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dipolog 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$1.53 ₱97.5

39.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$19.22 ₱1,222

-3.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$3.07 ₱195

82.41%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.55 ₱98.7

7.10%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$0.37 ₱23.82

75.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.23 ₱14.61

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$1.09 ₱69.4

112.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.56 ₱99.3

135.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.54 ₱98.0

31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$0.81 ₱51.7

74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$0.81 ₱51.2

71.60%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$1.95 ₱124

21.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$4.67 ₱297

253.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$4.57 ₱290

-41.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$5.51 ₱350

63.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.54 ₱97.9

55.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.23 ₱78.4

-15.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.00 ₱127

-17.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$0.93 ₱59.3

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$1.89 ₱120

-34.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$1.56 ₱99.0

-30.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.01 ₱64.3

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.60 ₱38.23

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.72 ₱173

51.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$4.04 ₱257

343.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.14 ₱72.6

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.59 ₱101

77.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.26 ₱16.31

257.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$14.55 ₱925

263.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$1.05 ₱66.5

12.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.20 ₱12.71

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.88 ₱120

-3.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$0.85 ₱54.1

72.94%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-1.00%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

38.52%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$67.9 ₱4,317

-7.86%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$8.09 ₱514

43.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$23.89 ₱1,519

-15.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$31.96 ₱2,032

18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.47 ₱348

19.01%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$297 ₱18.9K

144.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$6,827 ₱434.1K

142.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$51.0 ₱3,243

4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$25.96 ₱1,650

-4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$79.1 ₱5,029

14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$66.8 ₱4,245

7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$413 ₱26.3K

16.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$311 ₱19.8K

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$762 ₱48.4K

38.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$483 ₱30.7K

36.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$3,505 ₱222.9K

-31.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$2,701 ₱171.7K

-40.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$236 ₱15.0K

152.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Dipolog

$311 40.1% 0.5% $1.6

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Dipolog

$153 19.7% 35.5% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Dipolog

$100 12.9% 7.4% $8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Dipolog

$100 12.9% 5.7% $5.4

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Dipolog

$51 6.6% 33.2% $25

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Dipolog

$18 2.3% 70% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Dipolog

$43 5.5% 15.7% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $413 in Dipolog. 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 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Dipolog. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $153 in Dipolog – so Dipolog wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Dipolog

🕒 Local time

06:42 6:42 AM

07:42 7:42 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

130,759

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 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 November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Dipolog 2,860 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Dipolog

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 Dipolog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Dipolog, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $1,164 in Dipolog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dipolog, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $413 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Dipolog. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

If budget matters most, go with Dipolog. 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.