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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 4.2% cheaper than Manila without rent, and 10.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 7.5% cheaper than Manila without rent, and 14.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿64.2

$5.46 ₱319

-62.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.59 ฿588

$27.09 ₱1,585

-31.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿237

$4.38 ₱256

70.78%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ฿63.2

$2.74 ₱160

-27.01%

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

$0.85 ฿26.81

$0.92 ₱53.5

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.13

$0.54 ₱31.54

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿70.0

$1.53 ₱89.2

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿119

$2.69 ₱158

39.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ฿54.4

$1.90 ₱111

-9.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿51.7

$1.40 ₱81.7

16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ฿36.66

$1.04 ₱61.1

11.54%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿62.6

$2.07 ₱121

-4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.93 ฿504

$9.64 ₱564

65.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿100

$5.19 ₱304

-38.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿345

$8.57 ₱502

27.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿83.7

$3.47 ₱203

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿38.70

$1.74 ₱102

-29.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿53.7

$3.47 ₱203

-51.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.3

$2.42 ₱141

-34.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.90

$2.67 ₱156

-50.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿36.99

$3.06 ₱179

-61.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿21.46

$2.02 ₱118

-66.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.64

$0.64 ₱37.24

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ฿143

$3.43 ₱201

31.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 ฿604

$10.13 ₱593

88.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿56.0

$1.51 ₱88.4

17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿101

$2.11 ₱124

50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.47

$0.52 ₱30.30

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 ฿598

$12.16 ₱711

55.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.98

$0.85 ₱49.77

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.80

$0.27 ₱15.87

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 ฿254

$2.10 ₱123

282.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿39.34

$1.17 ₱68.2

5.98%

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

$21.2K ฿669.8K

$26.4K ₱1.5M

-19.89%

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

$21.8K ฿688.5K

$22.4K ₱1.3M

-2.97%

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

$71.2 ฿2,255

$137 ₱8,041

-48.17%

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

$14.09 ฿446

$21.63 ₱1,265

-34.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ฿553

$27.23 ₱1,593

-35.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 ฿1,332

$42.07 ₱2,461

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿218

$6.78 ₱397

1.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 ฿188

$6.81 ₱398

-12.78%

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

$307 ฿9,728

$352 ₱20.6K

-12.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿468.2K

$11.5K ₱672.8K

28.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 ฿1,762

$47.19 ₱2,760

17.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.79 ฿848

$34.63 ₱2,026

-22.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 ฿2,634

$82.2 ₱4,811

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,219

$47.17 ₱2,759

48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.5K

$499 ₱29.2K

-14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,504

$272 ₱15.9K

-12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿25.4K

$1,739 ₱101.7K

-53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ฿15.9K

$625 ₱36.6K

-19.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ฿65.2K

$4,647 ₱271.9K

-55.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ฿48.5K

$2,691 ₱157.4K

-43.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 ฿20.7K

$485 ₱28.4K

34.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

-33.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Manila: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Similar cities

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Minsk

🇧🇾 Belarus

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Curitiba

🇧🇷 Brazil

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

Brasilia

🇧🇷 Brazil