Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Iloilo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Iloilo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $684 in Iloilo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,037 in Iloilo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,390 in Iloilo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Iloilo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Iloilo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Iloilo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.71 ₱166

-24.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$21.66 ₱1,326

-13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.56 ₱218

120.79%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.00 ₱122

1.50%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$0.53 ₱32.25

50.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.29 ₱18.05

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$0.95 ₱57.9

125.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.73 ₱106

112.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.81 ₱111

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.27 ₱77.8

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$0.88 ₱54.0

36.36%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$2.21 ₱136

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$5.76 ₱353

181.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.19 ₱256

-26.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$7.09 ₱434

52.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$3.78 ₱231

-26.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$1.15 ₱70.7

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.28 ₱201

-47.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.56 ₱95.6

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$2.59 ₱159

-46.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$2.99 ₱183

-61.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$1.62 ₱99.2

-59.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$0.86 ₱52.8

-39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.12 ₱191

49.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$5.79 ₱355

207.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$1.28 ₱78.5

39.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.38 ₱84.7

142.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.25 ₱15.39

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$5.15 ₱315

261.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.68 ₱41.79

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$0.31 ₱19.18

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$2.62 ₱160

209.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$1.09 ₱66.9

12.84%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$23.9K ₱1.5M

-10.38%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

13.33%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$65.9 ₱4,035

8.26%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$31.21 ₱1,911

-55.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$30.23 ₱1,851

-40.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$26.99 ₱1,653

51.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.22 ₱320

9.58%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$34.74 ₱2,128

787.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$4,276 ₱261.9K

243.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$45.06 ₱2,759

23.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$22.58 ₱1,383

15.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$61.8 ₱3,786

37.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$26.07 ₱1,597

172.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$237 ₱14.5K

78.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

$177 ₱10.8K

36.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$357 ₱21.8K

123.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$280 ₱17.1K

80.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$3,731 ₱228.5K

-48.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$1,047 ₱64.1K

39.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$203 ₱12.4K

193.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $237 in Iloilo. 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 193% 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 $22.00 in Iloilo. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $201 in Iloilo – so Iloilo 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 Iloilo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Iloilo, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,026 in Iloilo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $34.74 in Iloilo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $684 in Iloilo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iloilo costs $684 versus $852 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 Iloilo. 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.