Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal: $870 a month against $960 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Island Garden City of Samal
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Island Garden City of Samal Living Index

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Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$960

/mo nomad

Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$870

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Island Garden City of Samal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Island Garden City of Samal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $960 per month in Chiang Mai vs $870 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $960
Island Garden City of Samal $870

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,307 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,499
Island Garden City of Samal $1,307

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,744 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $2,037
Island Garden City of Samal $1,744

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Island Garden City of Samal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Island Garden City of Samal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 28% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 ฿70.8

$5.54 ₱348

-61.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 ฿627

$20.51 ₱1,290

-8.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 ฿180

$3.89 ₱245

38.56%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$2.24 ₱141

-22.32%

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

$0.71 ฿23.87

$1.02 ₱64.3

-30.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.08

$0.60 ₱37.77

-45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ฿79.8

$1.43 ₱89.9

66.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$2.17 ₱136

76.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ฿66.7

$2.07 ₱130

-3.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.92

$1.15 ₱72.2

24.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.34

$0.90 ₱56.8

51.11%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿77.2

$2.03 ₱128

13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿557

$6.82 ₱428

144.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$5.13 ₱322

-45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿314

$7.22 ₱454

29.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ฿83.1

$2.47 ₱155

0.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.24 ₱78.2

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.44 ₱153

-30.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.5

$1.29 ₱80.9

26.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.26

$2.11 ₱133

-37.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.04

$1.53 ₱96.1

-27.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.89 ₱55.7

-17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.54

$0.72 ₱45.15

-23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿146

$2.52 ₱158

73.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿589

$5.78 ₱363

204.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿53.0

$1.24 ₱78.3

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$1.56 ₱97.8

78.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.77

$0.24 ₱14.89

258.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ฿1,820

$13.93 ₱876

290.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.80

$0.80 ₱50.1

52.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ฿7.28

$0.22 ₱13.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ฿58.7

$1.86 ₱117

-5.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.38

$1.23 ₱77.5

17.89%

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

$21.0K ฿702.5K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-2.44%

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

$26.7K ฿893.5K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

36.93%

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

$63.5 ฿2,123

$106 ₱6,670

-40.17%

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

$11.87 ฿397

$18.77 ₱1,180

-36.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.59 ฿689

$30.91 ₱1,943

-33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 ฿1,449

$33.70 ₱2,119

28.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 ฿157

$8.97 ₱564

-47.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿221

$4.65 ₱292

42.37%

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

$743 ฿24.8K

$23.69 ₱1,489

3034.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.3K

$7,917 ₱497.7K

109.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ฿1,793

$51.5 ₱3,240

4.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ฿844

$27.65 ₱1,738

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 ฿3,115

$78.1 ₱4,908

19.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 ฿2,412

$49.71 ₱3,125

45.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 ฿16.3K

$366 ₱23.0K

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ฿10.7K

$270 ₱17.0K

18.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 ฿34.7K

$921 ₱57.9K

12.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿22.3K

$483 ₱30.4K

38.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,407 ฿80.5K

$3,913 ₱246.0K

-38.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,647 ฿55.1K

$2,081 ₱130.8K

-20.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.75

-28.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 8, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: November 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$320 33.4%

Island Garden City of Samal

$270 31.1% 15.7% $50

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$239 24.9%

Island Garden City of Samal

$190 21.9% 20.5% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.5%

Island Garden City of Samal

$93 10.7% 15.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$96 10%

Island Garden City of Samal

$156 17.9% 62.4% $60

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.1%

Island Garden City of Samal

$101 11.6% 29.8% $23

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$60 6.3%

Island Garden City of Samal

$17 1.9% 72.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$57 5.9%

Island Garden City of Samal

$43 4.9% 24% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in Chiang Mai versus $366 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $21 in Island Garden City of Samal. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Chiang Mai vs $190 in Island Garden City of Samal – so Island Garden City of Samal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Island Garden City of Samal

🕒 Local time

03:46 3:46 AM

04:46 4:46 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

116,771

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.45 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.53 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.87 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Island Garden City of Samal 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Island Garden City of Samal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Island Garden City of Samal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Island Garden City of Samal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,305 in Island Garden City of Samal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $366 there versus $488 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $743 per month in Chiang Mai and $24 in Island Garden City of Samal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $960 in Chiang Mai and $870 in Island Garden City of Samal. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Island Garden City of Samal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.