Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mandaluyong

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,066 in Mandaluyong, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mandaluyong outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Mandaluyong
Learn more

Mandaluyong Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Mandaluyong

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,066

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,066 in Mandaluyong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Mandaluyong $1,066

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,643 in Mandaluyong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Mandaluyong $1,643

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,221 in Mandaluyong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Mandaluyong $2,221

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Mandaluyong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Mandaluyong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Mandaluyong 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$4.81 ₱308

-53.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$16.11 ₱1,029

17.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$3.48 ₱222

59.48%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.20 ₱140

-24.09%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.96 ₱61.3

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.49 ₱31.06

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.16 ₱74.0

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.33 ₱149

57.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.65 ₱105

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.31 ₱83.9

9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.94 ₱60.2

41.49%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.19 ₱140

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$5.07 ₱324

224.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.78 ₱306

-41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.81 ₱435

36.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$3.30 ₱211

-28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.89 ₱121

-48.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.00 ₱191

-46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.80 ₱115

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.21 ₱141

-42.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$2.56 ₱164

-57.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.62 ₱39.34

14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.48 ₱30.91

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.81 ₱179

47.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.55 ₱546

104.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.88 ₱56.0

82.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.02 ₱129

37.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.32 ₱20.59

171.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$13.10 ₱837

312.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.76 ₱48.38

52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.24 ₱15.38

120.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.90 ₱121

27.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.20 ₱76.5

20.83%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.16%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$18.8K ₱1.2M

43.65%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$138 ₱8,839

-55.06%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$17.04 ₱1,089

-28.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$23.94 ₱1,530

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$31.69 ₱2,025

17.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.03 ₱385

7.63%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$132 ₱8,429

458.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$8,937 ₱571.0K

65.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$27.86 ₱1,780

91.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$27.00 ₱1,725

-8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$70.5 ₱4,505

29.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$55.2 ₱3,529

30.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$727 ₱46.4K

-33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$457 ₱29.2K

-32.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$2,395 ₱153.0K

-58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$996 ₱63.6K

-36.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,203 ₱268.6K

-43.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$2,924 ₱186.8K

-45.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$537 ₱34.3K

9.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Mandaluyong

$457 42.9% 48.1% $148

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Mandaluyong

$196 18.4% 16.3% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Mandaluyong

$81 7.6% 25.2% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Mandaluyong

$179 16.8% 89.8% $85

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Mandaluyong

$92 8.6% 18% $14

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Mandaluyong

$16 1.5% 73.4% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Mandaluyong

$44 4.1% 13% $6.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $727 in Mandaluyong. 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 10% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Mandaluyong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $196 – making Mandaluyong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Mandaluyong

🕒 Local time

04:38 4:38 AM

05:38 5:38 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

425,758

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Mandaluyong 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Mandaluyong

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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaluyong costs about 14% 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,599 in Mandaluyong. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $727 in Mandaluyong.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $132 in Mandaluyong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Mandaluyong – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,066 in Mandaluyong. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,066 in Mandaluyong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.