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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,180 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,550 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Puerto Princesa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Puerto Princesa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.10 ₱253

-52.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.71 ₱1,647

-30.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.27 ₱263

83.14%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.46 ₱152

-20.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.68 ₱41.75

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.38 ₱23.46

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.26 ₱77.5

69.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.72 ₱106

116.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.53 ₱94.5

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.17 ₱72.1

39.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.84 ₱51.8

35.71%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.88 ₱116

2.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.83 ₱544

83.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.03 ₱310

-37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.23 ₱384

74.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.51 ₱216

-21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.93 ₱57.3

30.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.48 ₱214

-53.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.90 ₱55.6

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.80 ₱111

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.37 ₱84.4

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.05 ₱64.6

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.73 ₱45.28

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.95 ₱182

58.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.18 ₱443

159.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.13 ₱69.6

59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.80 ₱111

79.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.28 ₱17.47

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.81 ₱112

-22.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.22 ₱13.50

486.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.10 ₱129

273.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.21 ₱74.7

4.96%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$14.4K ₱890.6K

47.31%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

8.76%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$122 ₱7,495

-43.17%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.69 ₱844

2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$34.56 ₱2,131

-47.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$26.23 ₱1,618

56.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.33 ₱267

60.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.30 ₱327

11.70%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$62.5 ₱3,856

378.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,255 ₱262.4K

251.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.30 ₱2,793

20.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.63 ₱1,642

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.2 ₱4,640

12.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$52.3 ₱3,222

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$291 ₱18.0K

47.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$228 ₱14.0K

4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$439 ₱27.0K

82.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$314 ₱19.4K

63.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,418 ₱149.1K

-18.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$970 ₱59.8K

52.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$223 ₱13.7K

177.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

-39.39%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $291 in Puerto Princesa. 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 177% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Puerto Princesa – so Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Puerto Princesa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,214 in Puerto Princesa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Princesa, 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 $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $809 in Puerto Princesa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Puerto Princesa costs $809 versus $866 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 Puerto Princesa. 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.