Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Iligan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Iligan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $773 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,212 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,652 in Iligan City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Iligan City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.63 ₱224

-46.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$17.83 ₱1,099

4.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.33 ₱206

134.83%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.42 ₱149

-19.42%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.82 ₱50.6

3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 ₱22.52

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.30 ₱80.4

63.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.17 ₱134

71.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.29 ₱141

-25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.26 ₱77.8

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.95 ₱58.8

20.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.99 ₱123

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.06 ₱497

101.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.78 ₱294

-34.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.62 ₱470

43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.84 ₱175

-3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.57 ₱97.1

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.61 ₱161

-37.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.55 ₱95.8

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.30 ₱142

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.61 ₱161

-55.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.07 ₱66.2

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.71 ₱43.75

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.86 ₱176

63.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.81 ₱481

138.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.16 ₱71.6

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.06 ₱127

56.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.28 ₱17.30

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.82 ₱50.7

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.24 ₱14.89

437.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.11 ₱130

271.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.15 ₱70.9

10.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-19.93%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

8.83%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$111 ₱6,842

-37.75%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$32.75 ₱2,020

-57.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.09 ₱1,670

-33.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$34.33 ₱2,117

19.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.36 ₱269

59.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.91 ₱364

0.17%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$149 ₱9,166

101.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,288 ₱264.4K

248.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.70 ₱2,818

19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.21 ₱1,616

2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.2 ₱4,637

13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$52.4 ₱3,228

34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$268 ₱16.5K

59.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$175 ₱10.8K

35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$583 ₱36.0K

37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$388 ₱23.9K

32.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,395 ₱147.7K

-17.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,077 ₱66.4K

36.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$202 ₱12.4K

205.96%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $268 in Iligan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 206% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $211 – making Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Iligan City, 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 $1,159 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $773 in Iligan City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iligan City costs $773 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 Iligan City. 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.