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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $632 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,001 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,370 in Mambajao, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mambajao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mambajao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.55 ₱95.6

25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.49 ₱1,634

-29.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.41 ₱272

77.32%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.04 ₱187

-35.86%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.41 ₱86.9

-39.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.77 ₱47.77

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.12 ₱69.2

90.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.72 ₱168

37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.33 ₱82.0

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.91 ₱55.9

79.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.88 ₱54.1

29.55%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.41 ₱87.0

36.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.94 ₱490

104.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.21 ₱260

-25.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.56 ₱405

66.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.98 ₱184

-7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.35 ₱83.0

-10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.71 ₱167

-40.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.59 ₱98.3

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.39 ₱147

-41.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.60 ₱161

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.12 ₱68.9

-41.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.72 ₱44.64

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.91 ₱180

61.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.16 ₱503

128.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.07 ₱66.2

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.30 ₱80.3

148.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.20 ₱12.31

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.82 ₱50.4

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.22 ₱13.52

486.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.17 ₱134

261.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.41 ₱86.8

-9.93%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-21.47%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

10.06%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$84.0 ₱5,181

-17.80%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$32.13 ₱1,981

-56.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.09 ₱1,362

-18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$33.64 ₱2,074

22.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.49 ₱277

55.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.87 ₱362

0.85%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$150 ₱9,227

99.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,285 ₱264.2K

248.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.28 ₱2,792

20.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.22 ₱1,617

2.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.4 ₱4,648

12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$53.3 ₱3,284

32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$132 ₱8,138

224.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$87.0 ₱5,363

172.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$293 ₱18.1K

173.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$191 ₱11.8K

169.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,460 ₱151.7K

-19.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$885 ₱54.6K

66.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$154 ₱9,498

300.84%

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 Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $132 in Mambajao. 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 301% 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 $26.00 in Mambajao. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Mambajao – so Mambajao 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Mambajao, 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 $948 in Mambajao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, 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 $26.00 in Mambajao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $632 in Mambajao, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mambajao costs $632 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 Mambajao. 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.