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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Marawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,208 in Marawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,640 in Marawi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Marawi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Marawi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Marawi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.63 ₱224

-46.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$17.75 ₱1,093

3.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.30 ₱203

126.67%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.46 ₱151

-17.89%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.79 ₱48.49

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.39 ₱24.19

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.32 ₱81.2

62.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.18 ₱134

64.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.82 ₱112

-9.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.28 ₱78.6

22.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.98 ₱60.4

21.43%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.09 ₱128

-7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.81 ₱481

107.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.19 ₱258

-28.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.69 ₱473

42.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.88 ₱177

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.60 ₱98.6

-26.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.58 ₱159

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.59 ₱97.9

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.27 ₱140

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.60 ₱160

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.08 ₱66.3

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.73 ₱44.80

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.79 ₱172

66.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.18 ₱442

145.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.16 ₱71.4

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.04 ₱126

61.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.26 ₱15.84

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.76 ₱46.82

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.24 ₱14.79

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.07 ₱127

296.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.11 ₱68.2

9.91%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

-20.15%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

8.81%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$113 ₱6,987

-37.73%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.31 ₱2,051

-57.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$27.17 ₱1,673

-35.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$33.83 ₱2,083

24.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.51 ₱277

52.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.08 ₱375

-2.63%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$153 ₱9,404

101.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,386 ₱270.0K

239.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$46.61 ₱2,870

19.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$26.98 ₱1,661

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$75.5 ₱4,646

10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$53.2 ₱3,275

32.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$261 ₱16.1K

65.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$178 ₱11.0K

34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$595 ₱36.6K

38.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$388 ₱23.9K

31.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,401 ₱147.8K

-20.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$963 ₱59.3K

52.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$295 ₱18.2K

96.24%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Marawi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $261 in Marawi. 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 96% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Marawi. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $202 in Marawi – so Marawi 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 Marawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Marawi, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,163 in Marawi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marawi, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Marawi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $776 in Marawi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Marawi costs $776 versus $861 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 Marawi. 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.