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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 4.5% cheaper than Manila without rent, and 10.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 4.7% cheaper than Manila without rent, and 11% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$5.25 ₱292
-61.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$26.12 ₱1,455
-28.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.48 ₱250
71.21%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$2.67 ₱148
-25.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.91 ₱50.5
-9.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.53 ₱29.61
-37.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.55 ₱86.5
36.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$2.68 ₱149
39.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.9 ₱106
-13.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.34 ₱74.7
17.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.09 ₱60.6
9.17%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.15 ₱120
-7.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$9.46 ₱527
69.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$5.32 ₱296
-41.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$8.59 ₱478
29.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$3.44 ₱191
-19.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.82 ₱101
-32.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$3.59 ₱200
-52.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$2.41 ₱134
-35.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$2.77 ₱154
-51.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$3.04 ₱169
-60.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.94 ₱108
-62.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.64 ₱35.46
-17.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$3.44 ₱192
37.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$8.57 ₱477
114.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.51 ₱84
18.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$2.12 ₱118
51.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.48 ₱26.9
95.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$12.17 ₱678
55.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$0.92 ₱51.3
54.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.27 ₱15.08
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$2.15 ₱120
265.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.17 ₱65.3
6.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$27K ₱1.5M
-21.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$23K ₱1.3M
-5.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$139 ₱7,714
-49.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$22.08 ₱1,229
-37.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$27.22 ₱1,516
-35.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$42.8 ₱2,383
-2.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$6.9 ₱384
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$6.61 ₱368
-12.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$364 ₱20.2K
-15.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$11.2K ₱623.1K
31.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$45.95 ₱2,558
20.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$35.61 ₱1,983
-25.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$83.5 ₱4,648
1.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$46.92 ₱2,612
52.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$503 ₱28K
-13.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$262 ₱14.6K
-10.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,724 ₱96K
-52.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$622 ₱34.6K
-19.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$3,633 ₱202.3K
-39.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$2,336 ₱130.1K
-33.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$492 ₱27.4K
42.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
7.52
-33.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Manila: October 28, 2025

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