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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $745 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,129 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,513 in Negros, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Negros, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Negros 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$3.03 ₱190

-30.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$11.79 ₱739

68.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$2.87 ₱180

101.74%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$1.46 ₱91.4

25.34%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$0.28 ₱17.53

178.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.42 ₱26.29

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$1.18 ₱74.0

98.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.06 ₱129

79.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.97 ₱124

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$1.16 ₱72.5

37.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$1.03 ₱64.5

37.86%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$2.02 ₱127

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.15 ₱636

56.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.63 ₱290

-33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.78 ₱488

26.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$3.45 ₱216

-23.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$1.41 ₱88.4

-21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$2.43 ₱152

-32.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.56 ₱97.8

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$2.46 ₱154

-49.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$1.94 ₱121

-41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$1.19 ₱74.5

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.63 ₱39.55

-20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$3.02 ₱189

41.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.14 ₱385

192.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.23 ₱77.3

38.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.76 ₱110

64.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$0.25 ₱15.50

276.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$11.41 ₱716

384.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$0.81 ₱50.5

51.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.23 ₱14.42

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$1.96 ₱123

22.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.32 ₱82.7

9.09%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-1.11%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

39.65%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$120 ₱7,521

-45.87%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$15.23 ₱955

-12.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$27.87 ₱1,748

-25.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$31.50 ₱1,975

28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$4.68 ₱293

-15.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.63 ₱353

19.18%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$131 ₱8,225

499.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$8,011 ₱502.3K

88.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$32.67 ₱2,049

72.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$19.51 ₱1,223

27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$78.0 ₱4,889

18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$56.2 ₱3,524

33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$266 ₱16.7K

81.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$173 ₱10.8K

66.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$495 ₱31.1K

83.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$355 ₱22.3K

49.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$2,619 ₱164.2K

-24.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$1,053 ₱66.0K

37.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$244 ₱15.3K

148.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Negros: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 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 148% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $209 – 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 28% more than Negros, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,117 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.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $131 in Negros. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Negros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negros costs $745 versus $950 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.