Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ozamiz

For one person, living is cheaper in Ozamiz: $726 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Ozamiz, Philippines
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Ozamiz
🇵🇭 Philippines
$726
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $726 in Ozamiz, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Ozamiz $726

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Ozamiz, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Ozamiz $1,089

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,453 in Ozamiz, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Ozamiz $1,453

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Ozamiz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Ozamiz are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ozamiz 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$4.00 ₱255
-44.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$16.28 ₱1,040
16.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$2.35 ₱150
136.17%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$1.97 ₱126
-15.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$0.62 ₱39.54
3.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$0.33 ₱21.32
-6.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$1.34 ₱85.4
76.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$1.91 ₱122
91.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$1.57 ₱101
24.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$0.76 ₱48.30
89.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$0.83 ₱52.9
60.24%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$2.08 ₱133
9.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$6.01 ₱384
173.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$3.42 ₱219
-18.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$7.63 ₱487
22.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$2.31 ₱148
1.73%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$0.72 ₱45.74
34.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$2.27 ₱145
-29.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.16 ₱74.1
29.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$2.07 ₱132
-38.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$2.73 ₱174
-59.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$1.20 ₱76.7
-40.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.52 ₱33.48
-5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.91 ₱186
42.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$6.77 ₱433
158.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$0.94 ₱59.8
71.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.82 ₱117
52.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$0.26 ₱16.43
234.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
$12.73 ₱814
324.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$0.83 ₱52.9
39.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$0.23 ₱14.42
130.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$1.82 ₱116
32.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$0.98 ₱62.8
47.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$19.8K ₱1.3M
6.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$17.1K ₱1.1M
57.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$119 ₱7,578
-47.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$16.71 ₱1,068
-27.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$23.69 ₱1,514
-15.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$31.10 ₱1,987
19.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$5.33 ₱340
-29.27%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$4.56 ₱291
42.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$146 ₱9,318
404.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$8,434 ₱538.9K
75.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$33.85 ₱2,163
57.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$21.35 ₱1,364
15.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$70.1 ₱4,478
30.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$54.8 ₱3,503
31.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$252 ₱16.1K
91.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$185 ₱11.8K
67.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$488 ₱31.2K
105.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$347 ₱22.2K
82.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$2,802 ₱179.0K
-15.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$1,042 ₱66.6K
52.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Ozamiz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$189 ₱12.1K
212.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.92
-19.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ozamiz: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Ozamiz
$185 40.2% $124
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Ozamiz
$168 28.2% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Ozamiz
$81 25.4% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Ozamiz
$159 68.3% $65
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Ozamiz
$77 0.7% $0.6
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Ozamiz
$16 74.4% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Ozamiz
$40 20% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $252 in Ozamiz. 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 3.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Ozamiz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $168 – making Ozamiz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇵🇭 Ozamiz
🕒 Local time
02:04 2:04 AM
03:04 3:04 AM
1 h ahead of Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
141,828
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Ozamiz 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Ozamiz

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 Ozamiz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Ozamiz?
Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Ozamiz, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Ozamiz?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,089 in Ozamiz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Ozamiz?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ozamiz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $252 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Ozamiz?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $146 in Ozamiz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Ozamiz?
Groceries cost about 39% 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.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Ozamiz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Ozamiz?
If budget matters most, go with Ozamiz. 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.

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