Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,257

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Makati

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 Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,257 in Makati, rent included.

Chiang Mai $906
Makati $1,257

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,052 in Makati, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,385
Makati $2,052

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,847 in Makati, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,864
Makati $2,847

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Makati 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$6.56 ₱412

-67.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿652

$40.13 ₱2,524

-51.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$4.75 ₱299

15.16%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.7

$2.65 ₱166

-36.60%

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

$0.66 ฿22.19

$1.08 ₱67.8

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.56

$0.50 ₱31.56

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

$2.44 ₱153

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿126

$3.10 ₱195

20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.2

$1.83 ₱115

12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.98

$1.24 ₱77.9

17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.27

$1.01 ₱63.7

33.66%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.3

$2.37 ₱149

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$7.35 ₱462

121.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.7

$4.91 ₱309

-45.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$6.81 ₱429

35.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.5

$4.09 ₱257

-41.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.80

$2.00 ₱126

-48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.27 ₱206

-51.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.57

$2.29 ₱144

-37.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.77

$3.59 ₱226

-63.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.45

$3.45 ₱217

-67.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.65

$1.07 ₱67.2

-34.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.06

$1.11 ₱69.9

-54.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$2.66 ₱167

55.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿598

$8.01 ₱504

121.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.35 ₱84.7

20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.4

$1.98 ₱125

44.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.88

$0.99 ₱62.0

-13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,787

$57.4 ₱3,609

-7.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.99

$0.66 ₱41.50

84.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.89

$0.23 ₱14.50

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.8

$1.88 ₱118

22.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.26 ₱79.2

19.05%

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

$20.9K ฿701.2K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-2.86%

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

$26.7K ฿898.8K

$19.8K ₱1.2M

34.98%

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

$61.3 ฿2,059

$155 ₱9,752

-60.50%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$15.90 ₱1,000

-21.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿685

$32.67 ₱2,055

-37.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,275

$55.4 ₱3,482

-31.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$14.51 ₱913

-74.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$6.98 ₱439

-5.44%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$783 ₱49.2K

-1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿485.3K

$7,340 ₱461.6K

96.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,842

$59.6 ₱3,748

-8.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿849

$37.48 ₱2,357

-32.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,045

$82.5 ₱5,185

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,463

$102 ₱6,400

-28.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$828 ₱52.1K

-44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,877

$416 ₱26.2K

-29.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$2,318 ₱145.8K

-60.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

$1,067 ₱67.1K

-48.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.5K

$6,082 ₱382.5K

-68.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.6K

$3,765 ₱236.8K

-61.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$616 ₱38.7K

-3.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.5

-25.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Makati

$416 33.8% 41.7% $122

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Makati

$230 18.7% 2.4% $5.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Makati

$127 10.3% 15.3% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Makati

$204 16.5% 116% $110

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Makati

$123 10% 59.5% $46

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Makati

$63 5.1% 4.2% $2.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Makati

$69 5.6% 35.6% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $828 in Makati. 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 4% higher in Makati, 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 $40.00 in Makati. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $230 in Makati – so Makati wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

14:45 2:45 PM

15:45 3:45 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

582,602

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 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 October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.71 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 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 Makati 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Makati

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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 39% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,885 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $783 in Makati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Makati – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Makati at $1,257. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,257 in Makati. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.