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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 5.2% cheaper than Manila without rent, and 11.2% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 4.8% cheaper than Manila without rent, and 15.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.01 ฿64.4
$5.37 ₱322
-62.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.23 ฿583
$27.02 ₱1,619
-32.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.65 ฿244
$4.46 ₱267
71.52%
Cappuccino
$1.92 ฿61.3
$2.64 ₱158
-27.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ฿26.90
$0.92 ₱55.1
-8.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ฿11.39
$0.50 ₱29.79
-28.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 ฿70.0
$1.55 ₱92.7
41.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 ฿121
$2.73 ₱163
38.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿52.4
$1.88 ₱113
-12.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ฿51.8
$1.40 ₱83.8
15.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 ฿36.88
$1.08 ₱65.0
6.48%
Eggs
$1.94 ฿62.0
$2.06 ₱124
-5.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 ฿510
$9.50 ₱569
67.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.10 ฿99.2
$5.20 ₱312
-40.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 ฿354
$8.66 ₱519
27.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 ฿86.5
$3.51 ₱210
-22.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 ฿37.69
$1.73 ₱103
-31.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿54.5
$3.49 ₱209
-51.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.3
$2.49 ₱149
-35.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.39 ฿44.53
$2.83 ₱169
-50.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 ฿36.70
$3.09 ₱185
-62.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿22.76
$1.96 ₱117
-63.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿17.60
$0.69 ₱41.21
-20.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.57 ฿146
$3.44 ₱206
32.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.87 ฿603
$10.02 ₱601
88.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.2
$1.45 ₱86.9
25.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿103
$2.22 ₱133
44.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ฿28.16
$0.48 ₱28.77
83.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.89 ฿604
$11.92 ₱714
58.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 ฿45.17
$0.85 ₱51.0
65.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 ฿41.59
$0.25 ₱14.98
420.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 ฿262
$2.16 ₱129
279.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ฿39.18
$1.12 ₱67.2
9.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿677.0K
$26.1K ₱1.6M
-18.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ฿713.3K
$22.4K ₱1.3M
-0.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.9 ฿2,234
$135 ₱8,074
-48.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.07 ฿450
$21.66 ₱1,298
-35.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.70 ฿566
$27.09 ₱1,623
-34.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.41 ฿1,324
$41.91 ₱2,511
-1.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.69 ฿214
$6.82 ₱409
-1.91%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 ฿184
$6.88 ₱412
-16.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 ฿9,566
$363 ₱21.7K
-17.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K ฿479.8K
$11.5K ₱688.8K
30.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ฿1,753
$45.72 ₱2,739
19.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.35 ฿842
$34.42 ₱2,062
-23.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 ฿2,706
$81.2 ₱4,863
4.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.7 ฿2,229
$46.98 ₱2,815
48.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.6K
$503 ₱30.1K
-15.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$241 ฿7,697
$270 ₱16.2K
-10.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$811 ฿25.9K
$1,689 ₱101.2K
-52.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿15.9K
$631 ₱37.8K
-21.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,022 ฿64.7K
$4,403 ₱263.8K
-54.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,524 ฿48.7K
$2,636 ₱157.9K
-42.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Manila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$639 ฿20.4K
$453 ₱27.1K
41.17%
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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Manila: April 12, 2026

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 other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities