Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Quezon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Quezon City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $896 in Quezon City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,374 in Quezon City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,851 in Quezon City, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Quezon City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Quezon City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Quezon City 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.84 ₱298

-59.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$21.35 ₱1,317

-14.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.19 ₱197

134.48%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.86 ₱176

-29.37%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.95 ₱58.4

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.35 ₱21.40

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.27 ₱78.2

68.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.58 ₱159

39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.17 ₱134

-23.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.22 ₱75.2

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.07 ₱65.8

11.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.99 ₱123

-2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.14 ₱440

126.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.13 ₱255

-27.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.00 ₱432

56.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.42 ₱273

-38.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.59 ₱97.9

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.96 ₱183

-42.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.63 ₱100

-1.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.77 ₱171

-50.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$4.20 ₱259

-71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.59 ₱98.0

-57.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.05 ₱64.8

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.20 ₱197

45.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.80 ₱481

125.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.54 ₱95.1

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.99 ₱123

65.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.46 ₱28.35

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.76 ₱47.14

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.25 ₱15.38

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.09 ₱129

292.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.14 ₱70.0

7.02%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$25.2K ₱1.6M

-15.28%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

8.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$167 ₱10.3K

-57.64%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.45 ₱2,063

-58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$29.64 ₱1,828

-40.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$24.65 ₱1,520

70.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$6.14 ₱379

12.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.00 ₱432

-15.43%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$82.6 ₱5,097

273.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,782 ₱171.6K

434.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$31.68 ₱1,954

76.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$29.16 ₱1,798

-10.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$99.2 ₱6,115

-16.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$93.9 ₱5,789

-24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$271 ₱16.7K

59.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$197 ₱12.1K

21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$716 ₱44.2K

14.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$421 ₱26.0K

21.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,356 ₱145.3K

-18.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,447 ₱89.3K

1.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$447 ₱27.6K

29.56%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $271 in Quezon City. 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 30% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Quezon City. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Quezon City – so Quezon City 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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quezon City costs about 4% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,345 in Quezon City. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $21.00 in Quezon City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Quezon City – 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $896 in Quezon City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $896 in Quezon City. 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, Quezon City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.