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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $701 in General Santos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in General Santos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,455 in General Santos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than General Santos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and General Santos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, General Santos 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.45 ₱275

-56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$10.55 ₱650

76.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$2.84 ₱175

175.35%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.06 ₱127

-5.34%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.36 ₱21.95

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.30 ₱18.33

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.13 ₱69.5

88.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$0.91 ₱56.2

309.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.40 ₱86.2

22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.93 ₱57.3

75.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.85 ₱52.3

34.12%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.06 ₱127

-6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.15 ₱379

163.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.01 ₱185

3.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.38 ₱394

70.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.96 ₱183

-7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.14 ₱70.6

6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.30 ₱142

-29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.43 ₱26.29

269.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.92 ₱56.9

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$3.14 ₱193

-62.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.03 ₱63.7

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.60 ₱36.94

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.17 ₱134

116.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.18 ₱504

128.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.09 ₱67.0

65.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.50 ₱92.6

115.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.34 ₱20.82

164.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$8.93 ₱550

115.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.82 ₱50.6

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.16 ₱9.83

706.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.31 ₱81.0

498.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.10 ₱67.7

15.45%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

3.39%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

8.32%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$74.6 ₱4,601

-7.44%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$34.23 ₱2,111

-58.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$36.19 ₱2,231

-50.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$33.55 ₱2,069

22.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$1.75 ₱108

297.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.11 ₱192

90.35%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$58.8 ₱3,628

408.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,404 ₱86.5K

965.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$44.99 ₱2,774

21.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$16.05 ₱990

66.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$69.6 ₱4,293

22.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$68.7 ₱4,234

2.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$271 ₱16.7K

58.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$179 ₱11.0K

32.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$584 ₱36.0K

37.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$389 ₱24.0K

32.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 General Santos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $271 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in General Santos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $166 – making General Santos 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 General Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than General Santos, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,052 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $58.8 in General Santos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $701 in General Santos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Santos costs $701 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 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.