Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puerto Galera Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puerto Galera

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $878 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,859 in Puerto Galera, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Puerto Galera, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Puerto Galera are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Puerto Galera 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.90 ₱298

-59.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.34 ₱1,296

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.07 ₱186

152.44%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.93 ₱178

-34.47%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.99 ₱60.3

-20.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.34 ₱20.83

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.27 ₱77.0

74.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.65 ₱161

38.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.08 ₱126

-20.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.25 ₱75.7

30.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.12 ₱68.0

6.25%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.03 ₱123

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.95 ₱422

129.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.29 ₱261

-29.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$6.97 ₱423

55.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$4.30 ₱261

-35.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.61 ₱97.5

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.89 ₱175

-43.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.62 ₱98.5

-6.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.89 ₱176

-52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$4.04 ₱245

-70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.58 ₱95.7

-55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.00 ₱60.8

-44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.16 ₱192

44.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.37 ₱448

124.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.62 ₱98.3

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.98 ₱120

61.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.26 ₱15.66

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.83 ₱50.4

63.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.25 ₱15.04

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.10 ₱127

273.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.15 ₱69.9

6.96%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.3K ₱1.5M

-14.49%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

9.42%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$165 ₱10.0K

-57.28%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$32.85 ₱1,995

-58.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$29.70 ₱1,803

-41.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$34.16 ₱2,074

20.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.38 ₱266

58.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.14 ₱434

-19.19%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$80.2 ₱4,872

282.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,754 ₱167.2K

430.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$32.24 ₱1,957

73.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$29.86 ₱1,813

-12.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$97.7 ₱5,935

-12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$94.4 ₱5,732

-23.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$264 ₱16.1K

62.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$176 ₱10.7K

35.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$585 ₱35.5K

39.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$390 ₱23.7K

30.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,530 ₱153.6K

-21.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,133 ₱68.8K

30.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

-38.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $264 in Puerto Galera. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Puerto Galera. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Puerto Galera – so Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Galera costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,317 in Puerto Galera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $21.00 in Puerto Galera. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Puerto Galera – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $878 in Puerto Galera, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $878 in Puerto Galera. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Galera makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.