Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Island Garden City of Samal Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Island Garden City of Samal

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 34.8% more expensive than Island Garden City of Samal without rent, and 18.3% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 42.4% more expensive than Island Garden City of Samal without rent, and 24.5% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿64.8

$1.36 ₱80.7

49.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.59 ฿594

$12.43 ₱736

49.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿239

$4.60 ₱272

62.61%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ฿63.8

$2.13 ₱126

-6.10%

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

$0.85 ฿27.08

$0.86 ₱51.2

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.24

$0.49 ₱28.80

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿70.7

$1.40 ₱83.0

57.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿120

$1.78 ₱106

111.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ฿54.9

$1.22 ₱72.2

40.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿52.2

$0.57 ₱33.72

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ฿37.04

$0.69 ₱40.83

68.12%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.3

$2.07 ₱122

-4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.93 ฿509

$6.19 ₱366

157.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿101

$3.12 ₱185

1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿349

$5.28 ₱312

106.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿84.6

$2.99 ₱177

-11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.09

$1.13 ₱67.0

7.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿54.3

$2.41 ₱142

-29.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.8

$1.21 ₱71.4

31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.33

$2.27 ₱135

-41.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.36

$1.56 ₱92.2

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿21.67

$0.93 ₱54.8

-26.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.81

$0.46 ₱27.09

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ฿144

$2.63 ₱156

71.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 ฿610

$8.60 ₱509

121.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿56.6

$1.29 ₱76.1

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.21 ₱71.5

162.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.78

$0.26 ₱15.21

269.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 ฿604

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿43.41

$0.69 ₱40.83

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.23

$0.10 ₱5.74

1250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 ฿257

$2.15 ₱127

273.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿39.74

$1.15 ₱67.8

7.83%

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

$21.2K ฿676.6K

$21.7K ₱1.3M

-2.61%

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

$21.8K ฿695.5K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

2.79%

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

$71.2 ฿2,277

$101 ₱5,947

-29.11%

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

$14.09 ฿450

$34.29 ₱2,029

-58.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ฿559

$36.52 ₱2,161

-52.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 ฿1,345

$34.00 ₱2,012

23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿220

$4.37 ₱259

57.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 ฿190

$4.34 ₱257

36.87%

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

$307 ฿9,827

$120 ₱7,111

155.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿473.0K

$4,261 ₱252.1K

247.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 ฿1,780

$45.62 ₱2,700

22.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.79 ฿856

$29.64 ₱1,754

-9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 ฿2,661

$76.9 ₱4,548

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,241

$69.7 ₱4,124

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$265 ₱15.7K

61.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,580

$179 ₱10.6K

32.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿25.6K

$582 ₱34.4K

37.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ฿16.1K

$391 ₱23.1K

28.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ฿65.9K

$2,613 ₱154.6K

-21.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ฿49.0K

$687 ₱40.7K

123.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 ฿20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

-47.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: February 28, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Similar cities

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Minsk

🇧🇾 Belarus

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Curitiba

🇧🇷 Brazil

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

Brasilia

🇧🇷 Brazil