Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pasay Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pasay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $917 in Pasay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,255 in Pasay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,592 in Pasay, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Pasay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Pasay are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Pasay 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.44 ₱278

-53.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$19.04 ₱1,194

2.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.84 ₱178

99.65%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.23 ₱140

-18.83%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.63 ₱39.26

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.31 ₱19.24

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.21 ₱76.1

82.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.58 ₱99.0

139.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.72 ₱108

19.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.17 ₱73.2

29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.01 ₱63.6

38.61%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.96 ₱123

15.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.15 ₱323

214.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.29 ₱269

-32.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.26 ₱456

29.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.29 ₱143

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.54 ₱96.7

-29.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.35 ₱147

-31.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.17 ₱73.3

24.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.37 ₱149

-45.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$3.33 ₱209

-68.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.25 ₱78.3

-42.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.89 ₱55.6

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.97 ₱186

42.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.73 ₱485

136.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.97 ₱61.0

68.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.82 ₱114

59.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.19 ₱11.64

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.76 ₱47.52

53.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.21 ₱13.12

176.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.96 ₱123

21.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.18 ₱74.2

22.88%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-0.73%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

42.10%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$139 ₱8,713

-54.18%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$14.20 ₱890

-9.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$25.46 ₱1,597

-19.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$47.18 ₱2,959

-17.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.20 ₱326

26.54%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$73.4 ₱4,603

968.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,546 ₱159.7K

476.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$36.19 ₱2,270

52.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$19.34 ₱1,213

27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$70.1 ₱4,397

34.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$64.3 ₱4,033

15.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$432 ₱27.1K

13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$315 ₱19.7K

-8.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$821 ₱51.5K

8.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$361 ₱22.6K

44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,840 ₱115.4K

7.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$571 ₱35.8K

152.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$511 ₱32.0K

17.82%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Pasay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $432 in Pasay. 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 18% 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 $19.00 in Pasay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $189 – making Pasay 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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Pasay, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,375 in Pasay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Pasay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasay, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Pasay 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. Pasay costs $917 versus $932 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 Pasay. 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.