Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and General Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and General Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $618 in General Santos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,007 in General Santos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,396 in General Santos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than General Santos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and General Santos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, General Santos 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$3.42 ₱214

-39.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$27.30 ₱1,707

-28.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$2.76 ₱173

104.71%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$2.61 ₱163

-30.65%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$0.30 ₱18.85

136.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$0.25 ₱15.70

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$1.58 ₱99.1

41.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.36 ₱147

53.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$2.01 ₱126

-2.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$1.13 ₱70.9

32.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$0.88 ₱54.9

52.27%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.94 ₱121

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$6.62 ₱414

145.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$4.15 ₱260

-28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$8.73 ₱546

13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$2.69 ₱168

-4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$1.12 ₱70.0

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$2.33 ₱146

-30.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$1.21 ₱75.7

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$2.08 ₱130

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$3.10 ₱194

-65.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$1.20 ₱74.7

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$0.66 ₱41.43

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$2.41 ₱151

73.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$8.05 ₱503

121.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$1.26 ₱78.8

34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$1.60 ₱99.9

77.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$0.41 ₱25.86

126.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

$8.20 ₱513

556.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$0.83 ₱52.1

48.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

$0.23 ₱14.37

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

$0.83 ₱52.0

191.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$1.07 ₱66.7

31.78%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

2.99%

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$18.7K ₱1.2M

46.39%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$75.1 ₱4,696

-15.22%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$6.50 ₱406

97.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$31.86 ₱1,992

-36.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$4.73 ₱296

42.49%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$108 ₱6,772

618.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$7,671 ₱479.7K

90.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$62.3 ₱3,896

-12.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$26.97 ₱1,686

-5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$71.2 ₱4,454

32.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$61.1 ₱3,822

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$178 ₱11.1K

175.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$112 ₱6,973

159.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$367 ₱23.0K

143.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$241 ₱15.1K

114.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.31

-32.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for General Santos: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $178 in General Santos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in General Santos. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in General Santos – so General Santos 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 General Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than General Santos, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $927 in General Santos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $108 in General Santos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in General Santos, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In General Santos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Santos costs $618 versus $947 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 General Santos. 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.