Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Palawan

For one person, living is cheaper in Palawan: $790 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Palawan
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Palawan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Palawan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$790

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $790 in Palawan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Palawan $790

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,234 in Palawan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Palawan $1,234

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,677 in Palawan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Palawan $1,677

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Palawan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Palawan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Palawan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$3.65 ₱230

-41.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$19.68 ₱1,239

-5.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$3.36 ₱211

66.67%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.54 ₱160

-34.65%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.77 ₱48.22

-15.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.36 ₱22.91

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.26 ₱79.0

84.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.15 ₱135

70.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.92 ₱121

5.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$1.27 ₱79.8

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$0.99 ₱62.6

40.40%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$2.01 ₱126

17.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$8.20 ₱516

101.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$4.32 ₱272

-38.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$7.92 ₱499

13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$2.91 ₱183

-17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.52 ₱95.9

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$2.58 ₱163

-35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$1.62 ₱102

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$2.29 ₱144

-45.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$2.60 ₱164

-58.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$1.12 ₱70.3

-32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.76 ₱47.89

-32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.91 ₱183

41.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$6.83 ₱430

162.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.20 ₱75.8

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$2.02 ₱127

39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.28 ₱17.69

232.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$11.44 ₱720

362.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.81 ₱51.1

45.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.24 ₱15.12

-29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$2.07 ₱131

-12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$1.10 ₱69.3

33.64%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$26.3K ₱1.7M

-19.96%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

29.08%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$113 ₱7,128

-44.74%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$32.79 ₱2,065

-64.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$27.49 ₱1,731

-26.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$33.54 ₱2,112

12.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$4.49 ₱283

-17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$5.89 ₱371

10.53%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$151 ₱9,486

382.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$4,259 ₱268.2K

289.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$45.62 ₱2,872

17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$26.90 ₱1,694

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$76.3 ₱4,804

18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$52.8 ₱3,322

36.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$256 ₱16.1K

88.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$176 ₱11.1K

76.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$578 ₱36.4K

83.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$396 ₱24.9K

66.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$2,318 ₱146.0K

4.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$1,099 ₱69.2K

46.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Palawan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Palawan

$176 22.2% 43.3% $134

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Palawan

$205 26% 13.2% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Palawan

$91 11.5% 16.3% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Palawan

$174 22% 83.7% $79

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Palawan

$85 10.7% 10.8% $8.3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Palawan

$15 1.9% 75.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Palawan

$45 5.7% 10.9% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $256 in Palawan. 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 $20 in Palawan. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Palawan – so Palawan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Palawan

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

20:26 8:26 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

939,594

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 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 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.97 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Palawan 2,350 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Palawan

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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Palawan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,185 in Palawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $256 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $151 in Palawan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.