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 2% more expensive than El Nido without rent, and 7% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 3% more expensive than El Nido without rent, and 3.4% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$5.22 ₱290

-61.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$30.22 ₱1,682

-37.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$4.24 ₱236

80.90%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$3.94 ₱220

-49.75%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$1.35 ₱75

-39.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$0.82 ₱45.56

-59.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$1.35 ₱75.4

57.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$2.14 ₱119

74.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.85 ₱103

-11.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$1.21 ₱67.5

29.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$1.81 ₱101

-34.25%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$2.51 ₱140

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$8.16 ₱454

95.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$3.47 ₱193

-10.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$8.22 ₱458

35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$2.87 ₱160

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$0.74 ₱40.98

64.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$2.68 ₱149

-36.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$2.09 ₱116

-25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$2.31 ₱129

-41.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$2.09 ₱116

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$1.12 ₱62.2

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$0.73 ₱40.48

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$2.89 ₱161

63.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$6.22 ₱346

195.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$1.2 ₱66.8

49.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$2.04 ₱114

57.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$0.34 ₱18.92

176.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$0.84 ₱46.64

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$0.24 ₱13.43

462.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$2.17 ₱121

261.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.03 ₱57.4

21.36%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$26.2K ₱1.5M

-19.29%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$20.1K ₱1.1M

8.61%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$114 ₱6,344

-38.02%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$32.49 ₱1,809

-57.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$32.26 ₱1,796

-45.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$33.76 ₱1,880

23.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$5.8 ₱323

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

$308 ฿9,963

$155 ₱8,610

99.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$4,265 ₱237.5K

244.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$46.04 ₱2,563

20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$26.66 ₱1,484

-0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$75.6 ₱4,211

12.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$53.8 ₱2,993

33.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$270 ₱15K

60.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$177 ₱9,860

32.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

$592 ₱33K

38.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$402 ₱22.4K

23.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

$2,167 ₱120.6K

0.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

$277 ₱15.4K

154.38%

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: October 29, 2025

Last update for El Nido: October 28, 2025

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