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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in Pasig, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,218 in Pasig, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,719 in Pasig, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Pasig, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Pasig are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Pasig 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.04 ₱253

-48.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$25.71 ₱1,612

-23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.87 ₱180

97.56%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.31 ₱145

-21.65%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.66 ₱41.55

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.33 ₱20.73

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.22 ₱76.4

81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.74 ₱172

38.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.73 ₱109

18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.15 ₱72.4

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.01 ₱63.2

38.61%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.06 ₱129

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.47 ₱343

195.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.40 ₱213

-14.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.84 ₱491

20.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.14 ₱197

-14.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.60 ₱100

-31.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.87 ₱180

-43.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.71 ₱107

-14.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.21 ₱139

-42.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.59 ₱163

-59.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.08 ₱130

-65.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.59 ₱36.70

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.00 ₱188

41.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$9.70 ₱608

88.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.29 ₱80.8

26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.98 ₱124

46.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.46 ₱28.62

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.82 ₱51.7

42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.23 ₱14.44

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.88 ₱118

27.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.14 ₱71.7

27.19%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$20.9K ₱1.3M

0.32%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

40.11%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$124 ₱7,805

-48.85%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$17.53 ₱1,100

-26.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$24.51 ₱1,537

-16.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$30.52 ₱1,914

27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.46 ₱405

1.86%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$134 ₱8,414

484.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$9,016 ₱565.5K

62.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$33.97 ₱2,131

62.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$27.70 ₱1,737

-10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$70.7 ₱4,435

33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$54.7 ₱3,430

35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$274 ₱17.2K

78.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$127 ₱7,989

126.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$507 ₱31.8K

75.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$475 ₱29.8K

9.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$3,235 ₱202.9K

-39.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,506 ₱157.2K

-42.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$434 ₱27.2K

38.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pasig: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $274 in Pasig. 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 39% 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 $26.00 in Pasig. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Pasig – so Pasig wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pasig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Pasig, 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 $1,076 in Pasig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasig, 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 $26.00 in Pasig. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pasig, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Pasig 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. Pasig costs $717 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 Pasig. 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.