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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $682 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,473 in Dipolog, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dipolog 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.22 ₱74.8

67.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.56 ₱1,319

-13.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.57 ₱219

120.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.07 ₱127

-1.93%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.53 ₱32.66

50.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.32 ₱19.68

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$0.98 ₱60.3

118.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.72 ₱106

113.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.88 ₱115

-7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.22 ₱74.7

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.87 ₱53.4

37.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.18 ₱133

-9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.76 ₱353

181.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.25 ₱260

-28.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.90 ₱422

56.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.70 ₱226

-25.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.15 ₱70.6

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.38 ₱207

-49.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.62 ₱99.3

-1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.63 ₱161

-47.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$3.11 ₱191

-62.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.64 ₱100

-59.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.85 ₱52.1

-38.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.25 ₱199

43.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.13 ₱253

330.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.32 ₱80.9

35.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.40 ₱85.9

138.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.26 ₱15.84

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.70 ₱42.71

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.25 ₱15.39

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.71 ₱166

199.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.04 ₱63.7

18.27%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$24.1K ₱1.5M

-11.24%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

13.41%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$64.8 ₱3,965

10.13%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$31.77 ₱1,945

-55.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$30.69 ₱1,879

-41.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$34.29 ₱2,099

19.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$4.39 ₱269

56.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.33 ₱265

32.10%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$36.05 ₱2,207

755.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,250 ₱260.2K

245.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$45.52 ₱2,786

22.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$22.69 ₱1,389

14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$61.1 ₱3,739

38.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$26.44 ₱1,619

168.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$271 ₱16.6K

56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$180 ₱11.0K

34.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$586 ₱35.9K

36.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$401 ₱24.5K

26.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,255 ₱138.0K

-14.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,081 ₱66.2K

35.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$245 ₱15.0K

143.07%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $271 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 143% 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 $22.00 in Dipolog. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $198 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 25% 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 $1,279 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 $22.00 in Dipolog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $852 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 $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 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.