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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $760 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,138 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,516 in Imus, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Imus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Imus 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.30 ₱265

-54.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$21.66 ₱1,336

-13.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.14 ₱193

149.04%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.83 ₱175

-31.10%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.87 ₱53.7

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.34 ₱21.09

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.27 ₱78.2

67.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.72 ₱168

37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.19 ₱135

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.24 ₱76.5

31.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.01 ₱62.3

12.87%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.02 ₱124

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.19 ₱443

125.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.27 ₱264

-26.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.14 ₱440

52.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.29 ₱141

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.51 ₱93.4

-19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.01 ₱186

-46.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.65 ₱102

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.75 ₱108

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$3.55 ₱219

-67.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.59 ₱97.9

-58.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.90 ₱55.4

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.14 ₱194

49.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.96 ₱552

108.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.40 ₱86.5

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.95 ₱120

65.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.43 ₱26.25

109.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.83 ₱51.2

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.24 ₱14.82

437.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.12 ₱131

269.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.16 ₱71.6

9.48%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-18.45%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$17.9K ₱1.1M

23.93%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$129 ₱7,952

-46.44%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$33.30 ₱2,054

-57.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$26.95 ₱1,662

-33.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$34.20 ₱2,109

20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.48 ₱277

55.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.16 ₱441

-17.32%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$80.8 ₱4,982

270.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,376 ₱269.8K

241.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$31.51 ₱1,943

73.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$29.33 ₱1,809

-8.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$67.4 ₱4,154

26.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$93.8 ₱5,785

-24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$133 ₱8,186

222.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$111 ₱6,816

114.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$218 ₱13.4K

267.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$183 ₱11.3K

182.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,311 ₱142.5K

-14.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$957 ₱59.0K

54.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$177 ₱10.9K

247.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

-18.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Imus: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $133 in Imus. 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 248% 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 Imus. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Imus – so Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Imus, 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 $1,141 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Imus, 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 $22.00 in Imus. 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 $760 in Imus, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Imus costs $760 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 Imus. 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.