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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,172 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,526 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Puerto Princesa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Puerto Princesa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.13 ₱254

-52.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$26.50 ₱1,632

-30.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.38 ₱269

70.78%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.42 ₱149

-16.53%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.63 ₱38.66

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.39 ₱23.79

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.27 ₱78.1

68.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.75 ₱108

105.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.59 ₱97.8

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.14 ₱70.1

37.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.85 ₱52.5

40.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.87 ₱115

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.03 ₱556

79.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.94 ₱304

-39.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.31 ₱389

73.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.58 ₱220

-24.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.99 ₱61.1

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.52 ₱217

-51.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.93 ₱57.2

72.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.81 ₱112

-23.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.32 ₱81.2

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.08 ₱66.7

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.78 ₱47.91

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.10 ₱191

49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.11 ₱438

147.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.07 ₱66.1

73.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.79 ₱110

84.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.26 ₱15.80

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.78 ₱110

-23.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.22 ₱13.47

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.17 ₱134

278.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.17 ₱71.9

4.27%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$14.1K ₱865.5K

51.89%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

8.93%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$121 ₱7,454

-41.63%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.75 ₱847

2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$33.59 ₱2,068

-47.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$26.78 ₱1,649

57.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.35 ₱268

58.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.45 ₱335

8.62%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$63.0 ₱3,878

389.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,379 ₱269.6K

239.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$45.36 ₱2,792

22.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$26.99 ₱1,661

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$74.4 ₱4,581

11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$53.7 ₱3,305

31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$287 ₱17.7K

50.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$226 ₱13.9K

5.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$449 ₱27.6K

83.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$307 ₱18.9K

66.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,412 ₱148.5K

-20.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$965 ₱59.4K

51.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$226 ₱13.9K

156.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $287 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 157% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $196 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 5% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,228 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 $18.00 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 24% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $819 in Puerto Princesa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Puerto Princesa costs $819 versus $861 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.