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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $696 in General Santos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,087 in General Santos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,478 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 36% lower, General Santos 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.37 ₱269

-55.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$10.84 ₱667

69.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.92 ₱180

156.16%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.12 ₱131

-4.72%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.33 ₱20.18

157.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.32 ₱19.77

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.17 ₱72.0

82.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$0.85 ₱52.4

322.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.39 ₱85.8

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.87 ₱53.5

80.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.93 ₱57.5

27.96%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.01 ₱124

-3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.06 ₱373

167.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.93 ₱181

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.38 ₱393

71.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.88 ₱177

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.17 ₱72.2

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.41 ₱149

-29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.43 ₱26.34

272.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.90 ₱55.5

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$3.13 ₱193

-61.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.07 ₱66.0

-37.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.56 ₱34.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.18 ₱134

112.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.96 ₱490

121.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.09 ₱67.0

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.51 ₱92.7

118.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.37 ₱22.57

137.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$8.70 ₱536

122.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.82 ₱50.3

65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.15 ₱9.22

793.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.31 ₱80.4

526.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.13 ₱69.8

7.96%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

4.66%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

6.72%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$74.0 ₱4,553

-4.44%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$34.10 ₱2,100

-58.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$36.35 ₱2,238

-51.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$34.19 ₱2,105

23.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$1.81 ₱111

280.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.15 ₱194

87.94%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$58.1 ₱3,577

431.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,392 ₱85.7K

969.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$45.43 ₱2,797

22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$15.62 ₱962

67.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$71.8 ₱4,422

15.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$68.0 ₱4,189

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$265 ₱16.3K

63.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$174 ₱10.7K

37.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$584 ₱36.0K

40.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$396 ₱24.4K

29.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for General Santos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $265 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in General Santos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $164 – 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,045 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $58.1 in General Santos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $696 in General Santos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Santos costs $696 versus $861 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.