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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $783 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,238 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,692 in Negros, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Negros, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.45 ₱213

-43.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$13.51 ₱833

39.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.11 ₱192

154.66%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.63 ₱101

17.18%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.31 ₱19.03

170.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.42 ₱25.83

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.30 ₱80.5

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.09 ₱129

81.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.29 ₱141

-28.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.50 ₱92.6

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.16 ₱71.6

1.72%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.29 ₱142

-12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.87 ₱794

23.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.12 ₱316

-41.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.63 ₱471

41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.62 ₱223

-27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.51 ₱93.1

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.31 ₱204

-48.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.24 ₱138

-29.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.62 ₱162

-49.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.54 ₱157

-53.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.00 ₱61.6

-33.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.85 ₱52.2

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.25 ₱201

39.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.42 ₱396

183.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.19 ₱73.7

53.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.32 ₱143

39.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.28 ₱17.28

217.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.89 ₱54.9

51.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.25 ₱15.52

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.69 ₱166

206.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.10 ₱68.1

15.45%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-29.63%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-16.99%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$96.2 ₱5,933

-27.07%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$34.57 ₱2,132

-60.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$30.37 ₱1,873

-42.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.95 ₱2,094

22.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.48 ₱277

47.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.82 ₱359

-0.69%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$233 ₱14.4K

31.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,910 ₱241.2K

279.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.71 ₱2,819

18.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$23.10 ₱1,425

13.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$75.6 ₱4,663

11.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$55.2 ₱3,405

25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$266 ₱16.4K

59.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$179 ₱11.0K

33.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$582 ₱35.9K

41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$394 ₱24.3K

30.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,145 ₱132.3K

-4.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$245 ₱15.1K

158.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-28.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Negros: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $266 in Negros. 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 159% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $241 – making Negros the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Negros, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,175 in Negros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Negros, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Negros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $783 in Negros, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negros costs $783 versus $852 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 Negros. 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.