Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Panglao

For one person, living is cheaper in Panglao: $795 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Panglao
Learn more

Panglao Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Panglao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$795

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Panglao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Panglao $795

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,113 in Panglao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Panglao $1,113

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,431 in Panglao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Panglao $1,431

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$3.89 ₱245

-45.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$23.45 ₱1,476

-20.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$3.93 ₱247

42.49%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.14 ₱135

-22.43%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.69 ₱43.44

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.47 ₱29.59

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.54 ₱96.8

50.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.84 ₱116

99.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.58 ₱99.4

27.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$1.09 ₱68.8

29.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$0.92 ₱58.0

51.09%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.69 ₱106

40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$4.73 ₱298

249.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$4.52 ₱284

-40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$7.65 ₱482

17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$1.90 ₱120

26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.31 ₱82.7

-20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$1.94 ₱122

-14.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$1.49 ₱94.0

4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$2.30 ₱145

-46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$1.89 ₱119

-42.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$1.07 ₱67.3

-28.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.46 ₱28.65

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.89 ₱182

42.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$5.73 ₱361

212.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$0.80 ₱50.1

102.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$1.55 ₱97.4

81.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.22 ₱13.79

322.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$12.47 ₱785

324.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.74 ₱46.40

59.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.22 ₱13.88

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$1.85 ₱117

-2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$0.94 ₱59.2

56.38%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.21%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

38.58%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$58.2 ₱3,666

7.44%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$6.53 ₱411

77.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$23.87 ₱1,503

-14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$20.83 ₱1,312

81.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$5.16 ₱325

-28.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$3.92 ₱247

66.07%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$132 ₱8,317

450.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$7,973 ₱502.0K

107.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$32.20 ₱2,027

66.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$19.54 ₱1,231

26.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$66.0 ₱4,155

37.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$46.55 ₱2,931

54.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$279 ₱17.6K

72.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$336 ₱21.2K

-7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$541 ₱34.1K

95.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$396 ₱25.0K

66.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$933 ₱58.7K

159.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$1,091 ₱68.7K

47.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Panglao: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Panglao

$336 42.2% 8.4% $26

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Panglao

$168 21.2% 28.8% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Panglao

$74 9.3% 31.8% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Panglao

$89 11.1% 6.2% $5.8

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Panglao

$85 10.6% 10.6% $8.1

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Panglao

$15 1.9% 74.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Panglao

$29 3.6% 43.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $279 in Panglao. 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 $23 in Panglao. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Panglao – so Panglao wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Panglao

🕒 Local time

16:45 4:45 PM

17:45 5:45 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

39,839

💱 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 Panglao 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Panglao

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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Panglao, 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 $1,193 in Panglao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panglao, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $279 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $132 in Panglao. 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 Panglao – 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.