Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Naga

For one person, living is cheaper in Naga: $552 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Naga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$552

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $552 in Naga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Naga $552

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in Naga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Naga $845

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,138 in Naga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Naga $1,138

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Naga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Naga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Naga 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$5.10 ₱326

-56.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$13.37 ₱854

42.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$2.77 ₱177

100.36%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.74 ₱175

-39.05%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.67 ₱42.90

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.22 ₱14.03

40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.31 ₱83.4

80.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.09 ₱198

18.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.95 ₱125

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.80 ₱51.1

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.77 ₱49.27

72.73%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.68 ₱107

35.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$10.06 ₱643

63.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.12 ₱264

-32.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.84 ₱437

36.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.90 ₱121

23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.66 ₱106

-41.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.41 ₱154

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.37 ₱152

-36.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.53 ₱162

-49.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$2.21 ₱141

-50.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$4.63 ₱296

-84.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.60 ₱38.38

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.76 ₱176

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$3.77 ₱241

364.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.53 ₱97.6

5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.58 ₱36.83

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.19 ₱76.0

21.85%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$97.7 ₱6,243

-36.37%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$23.84 ₱1,523

-48.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$25.59 ₱1,635

-21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$7.73 ₱494

382.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.80 ₱307

35.21%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$7,801 ₱498.4K

89.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$158 ₱10.1K

204.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$85.9 ₱5,487

259.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$240 ₱15.4K

318.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$195 ₱12.5K

224.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$138 ₱8,843

326.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Naga: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Naga

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Naga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Naga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Naga

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Naga

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Naga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Naga

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $158 in Naga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $13 in Naga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $202 – making Naga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Naga

🕒 Local time

02:03 2:03 AM

03:03 3:03 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

115,750

💱 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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Between locations

Chiang Mai Naga 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Naga

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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Naga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $828 in Naga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naga, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $158 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $552 in Naga. That’s a gap of about 70%.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $936 in Chiang Mai and $552 in Naga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $552 in Naga to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Naga. 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.