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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $751 in Legazpi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in Legazpi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,556 in Legazpi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Legazpi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Legazpi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Legazpi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.49 ₱215

-44.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.78 ₱1,466

-21.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.02 ₱186

158.94%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.24 ₱138

-12.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.43 ₱26.32

97.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.36 ₱22.47

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$0.99 ₱61.2

115.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.61 ₱223

3.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.72 ₱106

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.32 ₱81.6

23.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.02 ₱62.7

11.76%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.14 ₱132

-9.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.16 ₱750

33.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.84 ₱237

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.03 ₱433

55.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.99 ₱184

-8.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.16 ₱133

-43.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.61 ₱223

-55.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.73 ₱107

-8.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.68 ₱166

-47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.82 ₱112

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.79 ₱111

-63.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.92 ₱56.8

-42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.34 ₱268

8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.96 ₱491

134.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.16 ₱71.8

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.47 ₱214

-6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.22 ₱13.55

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.62 ₱38.07

127.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.27 ₱16.74

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.71 ₱167

189.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.22 ₱75.2

4.10%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-18.83%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

10.78%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$150 ₱9,241

-53.91%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$23.65 ₱1,458

-40.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$35.96 ₱2,218

-49.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$34.45 ₱2,124

19.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.55 ₱281

52.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.38 ₱331

10.04%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$71.4 ₱4,404

318.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,372 ₱269.6K

242.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$46.03 ₱2,838

18.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$27.00 ₱1,665

-0.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$71.6 ₱4,415

18.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$70.5 ₱4,348

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$160 ₱9,859

167.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$107 ₱6,621

121.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$377 ₱23.2K

112.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$219 ₱13.5K

135.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,762 ₱170.3K

-28.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$910 ₱56.1K

62.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$273 ₱16.9K

125.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

-50.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Legazpi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $160 in Legazpi. 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 126% 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 $24.00 in Legazpi. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Legazpi – so Legazpi 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 Legazpi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Legazpi, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,127 in Legazpi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Legazpi, 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 $24.00 in Legazpi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $751 in Legazpi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Legazpi costs $751 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 Legazpi. 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.