Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ormoc

For one person, living is cheaper in Ormoc: $801 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Ormoc
Learn more

Ormoc Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Ormoc

🇵🇭 Philippines

$801

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $801 in Ormoc, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Ormoc $801

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,192 in Ormoc, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Ormoc $1,192

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,582 in Ormoc, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Ormoc $1,582

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Ormoc, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Ormoc are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ormoc 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$3.58 ₱227

-40.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$16.26 ₱1,032

14.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$4.80 ₱305

16.67%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$2.15 ₱136

-22.79%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$0.69 ₱43.74

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.39 ₱24.49

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

$1.26 ₱79.7

84.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$2.19 ₱139

67.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.54 ₱97.5

31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$1.18 ₱74.6

19.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$0.92 ₱58.4

51.09%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.93 ₱122

22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$4.16 ₱264

297.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$4.20 ₱267

-36.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$6.12 ₱388

47.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.37 ₱150

1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$2.09 ₱132

-50.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$2.14 ₱136

-22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.93 ₱59.1

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$1.54 ₱97.6

-19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$1.50 ₱94.9

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.80 ₱50.6

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$0.55 ₱34.79

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.98 ₱189

38.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$6.85 ₱434

161.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.27 ₱80.7

27.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$1.75 ₱111

61.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$0.21 ₱13.61

342.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

$11.35 ₱720

365.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$0.87 ₱55.0

35.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$0.20 ₱12.73

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.13 ₱135

-15.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$1.11 ₱70.7

32.43%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$18.4K ₱1.2M

14.28%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$17.6K ₱1.1M

50.72%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$113 ₱7,173

-44.67%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$15.74 ₱999

-26.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$26.03 ₱1,651

-22.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$30.33 ₱1,925

24.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$5.01 ₱318

29.94%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$308 ₱19.5K

135.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$7,941 ₱503.8K

108.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$43.00 ₱2,728

24.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$28.33 ₱1,797

-12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$74.4 ₱4,723

21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$59.7 ₱3,789

20.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$364 ₱23.1K

32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$247 ₱15.7K

25.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$824 ₱52.3K

28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$457 ₱29.0K

44.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

$3,654 ₱231.8K

-33.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$2,438 ₱154.7K

-34.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ormoc: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Ormoc

$247 30.8% 20.4% $63

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Ormoc

$169 21.1% 28.6% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Ormoc

$92 11.5% 14.6% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ormoc

$155 19.3% 63.9% $60

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Ormoc

$84 10.5% 9.4% $7.2

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Ormoc

$14 1.8% 76% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Ormoc

$40 5% 20.7% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $364 in Ormoc. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Ormoc. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $169 – making Ormoc the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Ormoc

🕒 Local time

00:48 12:48 AM

01:48 1:48 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

230,998

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 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 November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 63.44 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71.03 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Ormoc 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ormoc

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 Ormoc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Ormoc, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $1,202 in Ormoc. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ormoc, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $364 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $308 in Ormoc. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Ormoc – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Ormoc is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 14% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.