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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $807 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,230 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,653 in Laoag City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Laoag City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$3.59 ₱221

-45.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$14.91 ₱918

23.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$3.23 ₱199

131.58%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.42 ₱149

-16.53%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.84 ₱51.6

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.37 ₱22.53

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.30 ₱80.0

64.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.08 ₱128

72.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.91 ₱117

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$1.23 ₱75.6

27.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$0.99 ₱60.8

20.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.25 ₱138

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.00 ₱493

102.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$7.73 ₱476

-61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$7.76 ₱478

40.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$2.85 ₱175

-4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.54 ₱94.6

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.70 ₱166

-37.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.57 ₱96.4

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$2.24 ₱138

-38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$2.52 ₱155

-52.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$1.06 ₱65.4

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.72 ₱44.39

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.09 ₱190

50.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$8.04 ₱495

119.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$0.96 ₱58.8

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.99 ₱123

65.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.26 ₱15.97

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$0.84 ₱51.5

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$0.24 ₱14.75

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.14 ₱132

283.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.11 ₱68.6

9.91%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$26.8K ₱1.7M

-20.40%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

11.39%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$114 ₱7,020

-38.02%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$33.21 ₱2,045

-57.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$26.54 ₱1,634

-34.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$15.11 ₱931

178.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.49 ₱276

53.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.03 ₱371

-1.82%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$154 ₱9,464

100.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$4,390 ₱270.3K

238.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$45.83 ₱2,822

21.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$26.79 ₱1,650

-2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$74.0 ₱4,555

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$53.5 ₱3,295

31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$266 ₱16.4K

62.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$200 ₱12.3K

19.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$421 ₱25.9K

95.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$401 ₱24.7K

27.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$2,361 ₱145.4K

-18.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$916 ₱56.4K

60.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$164 ₱10.1K

253.58%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $266 in Laoag 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 254% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $222 – making Laoag 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Laoag City, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,210 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Laoag City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $807 in Laoag City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $807 versus $861 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 Laoag 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.