Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Nido Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Nido

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 6.8% cheaper than El Nido without rent, and 8% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 13.3% cheaper than El Nido without rent, and 4.5% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ฿62.0

$5.36 ₱319

-63.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 ฿587

$30.54 ₱1,815

-38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿249

$4.32 ₱257

83.33%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿63.7

$3.99 ₱237

-49.37%

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

$0.84 ฿26.45

$1.36 ₱80.8

-38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.07

$0.36 ₱21.59

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿69.9

$1.36 ₱80.9

63.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿113

$2.14 ₱127

67.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿52.4

$1.88 ₱112

-11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.1

$1.22 ₱72.6

32.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿37.83

$1.73 ₱103

-30.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿60.8

$2.60 ₱154

-25.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.00 ฿503

$8.18 ₱486

95.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ฿99.2

$3.28 ₱195

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ฿344

$8.13 ₱483

34.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ฿83.8

$2.96 ₱176

-9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿36.99

$0.73 ₱43.61

61.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿51.5

$2.71 ₱161

-39.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿49.83

$2.11 ₱125

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.64

$2.32 ₱138

-43.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿37.49

$2.14 ₱127

-44.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.20

$1.06 ₱62.9

-33.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.75

$0.72 ₱43.05

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿146

$2.91 ₱173

59.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.96 ฿596

$6.05 ₱359

213.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.7

$1.20 ₱71.4

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿101

$2.00 ₱119

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.32

$0.36 ₱21.60

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.78

$0.78 ₱46.54

74.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.37

$0.24 ₱14.30

462.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 ฿256

$2.09 ₱124

289.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿38.43

$1.04 ₱61.7

17.31%

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

$21.4K ฿671.8K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-20.83%

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

$21.7K ฿683.8K

$20.5K ₱1.2M

6.08%

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

$70.3 ฿2,210

$111 ₱6,620

-36.89%

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

$13.91 ฿437

$33.14 ₱1,970

-58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿566

$32.46 ₱1,929

-44.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 ฿1,314

$33.33 ₱1,981

25.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 ฿214

$4.46 ₱265

52.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿180

$6.07 ₱361

-5.77%

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

$308 ฿9,693

$154 ₱9,148

100.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿465.7K

$4,256 ₱253.0K

248.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,756

$45.60 ₱2,710

22.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 ฿840

$26.55 ₱1,578

0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,658

$76.6 ₱4,550

10.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 ฿2,227

$53.8 ₱3,200

31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿13.5K

$270 ₱16.0K

59.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,439

$178 ₱10.6K

33.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.5K

$598 ₱35.6K

35.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿15.7K

$398 ₱23.6K

25.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 ฿69.2K

$1,850 ₱110.0K

19.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,600 ฿50.3K

$772 ₱45.9K

107.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$684 ฿21.5K

$273 ₱16.2K

150.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: January 13, 2026

Last update for El Nido: January 12, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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