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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Dumaguete, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,330 in Dumaguete, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,800 in Dumaguete, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Dumaguete are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Dumaguete 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.21 ₱198

-39.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.15 ₱873

31.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.39 ₱270

78.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.32 ₱143

-15.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.77 ₱47.19

10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.36 ₱22.29

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.07 ₱66.1

99.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.14 ₱132

74.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.74 ₱107

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.44 ₱88.6

13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.03 ₱63.6

10.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.00 ₱124

-3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.46 ₱583

71.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.11 ₱315

-38.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.99 ₱493

36.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.76 ₱108

56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.38 ₱85.4

-12.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.05 ₱250

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.38 ₱85.4

15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.40 ₱148

-41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.62 ₱162

-55.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.86 ₱52.8

-23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.61 ₱37.54

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.59 ₱159

81.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.99 ₱493

133.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.22 ₱75.4

47.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.96 ₱121

64.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.50 ₱30.84

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$8.90 ₱549

115.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.78 ₱47.88

80.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.27 ₱16.83

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.91 ₱56.1

761.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.15 ₱70.6

10.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-6.17%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$38.5K ₱2.4M

-42.34%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$74.3 ₱4,580

-7.01%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$44.54 ₱2,747

-68.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$29.05 ₱1,791

-38.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.73 ₱1,463

73.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.50 ₱216

98.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.15 ₱379

-3.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$70.7 ₱4,361

322.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,887 ₱116.4K

692.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$108 ₱6,646

-49.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.97 ₱2,218

-25.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$110 ₱6,799

-22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$84.5 ₱5,209

-16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$242 ₱14.9K

76.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$213 ₱13.1K

11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$439 ₱27.1K

82.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$417 ₱25.7K

23.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,117 ₱192.2K

-36.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$689 ₱42.5K

113.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$283 ₱17.5K

117.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $242 in Dumaguete. 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 118% 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 Dumaguete. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $211 – making Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Dumaguete, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,292 in Dumaguete. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dumaguete, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $70.7 in Dumaguete. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $861 in Dumaguete, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dumaguete costs $861 versus $866 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 Dumaguete. 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.