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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $763 in Ligao City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,207 in Ligao City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,651 in Ligao City, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.53 ₱218

-45.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$18.05 ₱1,113

3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.29 ₱203

137.69%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.40 ₱148

-18.75%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.78 ₱48.05

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.40 ₱24.59

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.31 ₱80.7

62.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.08 ₱128

79.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.89 ₱117

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.22 ₱75.3

33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.94 ₱58.0

21.28%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.99 ₱123

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.12 ₱501

99.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.23 ₱261

-26.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.52 ₱463

44.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.98 ₱184

-7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.58 ₱97.4

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.72 ₱168

-40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.54 ₱94.8

3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.32 ₱143

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.50 ₱154

-53.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.10 ₱68.1

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.72 ₱44.68

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.80 ₱173

67.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.11 ₱500

130.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.20 ₱73.8

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 ₱123

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.28 ₱17.33

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.77 ₱47.20

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.24 ₱14.87

437.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.08 ₱128

276.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.14 ₱70.6

11.40%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-19.84%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

9.36%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$111 ₱6,864

-37.95%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$32.80 ₱2,022

-57.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.10 ₱1,671

-33.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$34.11 ₱2,104

20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.51 ₱278

54.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.86 ₱361

1.02%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$153 ₱9,411

95.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,345 ₱267.9K

244.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$46.16 ₱2,846

18.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.66 ₱1,644

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$74.4 ₱4,585

14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$53.2 ₱3,278

32.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$270 ₱16.6K

58.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$177 ₱10.9K

34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$588 ₱36.3K

36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$390 ₱24.1K

32.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,432 ₱150.0K

-18.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$960 ₱59.2K

53.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$286 ₱17.6K

115.84%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $270 in Ligao 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 116% 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 $18.00 in Ligao City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $205 – making Ligao 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 Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Ligao City, 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 $1,144 in Ligao City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ligao 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Ligao City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $763 in Ligao City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ligao City costs $763 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 Ligao 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.