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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $682 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,086 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,491 in Dipolog, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Dipolog 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.21 ₱73.5

63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$20.91 ₱1,270

-10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.58 ₱218

116.48%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.97 ₱120

-2.54%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.54 ₱32.59

46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.30 ₱18.17

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.01 ₱61.4

118.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.80 ₱109

103.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.85 ₱112

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.22 ₱73.9

33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.89 ₱54.0

33.71%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.17 ₱132

-7.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.98 ₱363

167.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.11 ₱250

-26.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.04 ₱427

54.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.73 ₱226

-26.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.20 ₱72.9

-1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.36 ₱204

-51.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.61 ₱97.8

-5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.54 ₱155

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$3.16 ₱192

-62.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.60 ₱97.3

-56.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.93 ₱56.2

-39.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.22 ₱196

42.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.15 ₱252

299.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.29 ₱78.2

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.39 ₱84.2

130.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.28 ₱17.19

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.68 ₱41.20

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.23 ₱13.93

482.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.61 ₱158

200.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.07 ₱65.2

14.95%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$24.4K ₱1.5M

-11.27%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

16.40%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$65.5 ₱3,975

7.74%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$30.64 ₱1,861

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$30.17 ₱1,832

-42.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$33.60 ₱2,040

23.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.30 ₱261

61.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.46 ₱271

29.37%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$35.33 ₱2,145

769.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,338 ₱263.4K

236.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$45.26 ₱2,748

23.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$22.67 ₱1,377

15.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$61.1 ₱3,707

40.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$26.36 ₱1,601

174.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$263 ₱15.9K

63.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$180 ₱10.9K

32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$580 ₱35.2K

40.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$389 ₱23.6K

31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,769 ₱168.2K

-28.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$931 ₱56.5K

59.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$248 ₱15.1K

149.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $263 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 run about 149% 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 $21.00 in Dipolog. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $199 in Dipolog – so Dipolog wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 27% more than Dipolog, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,023 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. 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 $21.00 in Dipolog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $682 in Dipolog, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dipolog costs $682 versus $869 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 Dipolog. 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.