Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Jose del Monte

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose del Monte: $731 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in San Jose del Monte
Learn more

San Jose del Monte Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

San Jose del Monte

🇵🇭 Philippines

$731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in San Jose del Monte

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in San Jose del Monte actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
San Jose del Monte $731

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,096 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
San Jose del Monte $1,096

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,461 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
San Jose del Monte $1,461

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than San Jose del Monte, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and San Jose del Monte are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, San Jose del Monte 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$3.94 ₱252

-43.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$16.34 ₱1,044

16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$2.73 ₱174

103.30%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.74 ₱111

-4.02%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.56 ₱35.61

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.31 ₱19.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.94 ₱59.8

151.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.60 ₱102

128.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.64 ₱105

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.14 ₱72.8

26.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.94 ₱59.9

41.49%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.02 ₱129

12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$5.07 ₱324

224.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.28 ₱210

-15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.92 ₱442

34.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.27 ₱145

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.57 ₱100

-38.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.37 ₱152

-32.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.02 ₱64.9

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.70 ₱109

-24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.69 ₱108

-34.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.65 ₱41.24

9.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.48 ₱30.52

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.86 ₱183

44.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.81 ₱563

98.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.94 ₱60.1

71.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.96 ₱126

41.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.21 ₱13.69

314.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$12.48 ₱797

333.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.75 ₱48.17

54.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.23 ₱14.73

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.91 ₱122

26.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.22 ₱78.2

18.85%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$20.9K ₱1.3M

0.97%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$18.7K ₱1.2M

44.14%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$122 ₱7,788

-49.00%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$15.32 ₱979

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$23.05 ₱1,472

-12.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$35.72 ₱2,282

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$5.50 ₱351

-31.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.22 ₱334

24.33%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$129 ₱8,244

470.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$8,762 ₱559.8K

68.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$28.74 ₱1,836

85.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$18.98 ₱1,213

29.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$70.5 ₱4,502

29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$53.7 ₱3,428

34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$230 ₱14.7K

109.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$189 ₱12.1K

63.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$437 ₱27.9K

130.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$361 ₱23.1K

75.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,325 ₱148.6K

1.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,217 ₱77.8K

30.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for San Jose del Monte: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

San Jose del Monte

$189 25.9% 38.8% $120

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

San Jose del Monte

$170 23.3% 27.3% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

San Jose del Monte

$77 10.6% 28.8% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

San Jose del Monte

$160 21.9% 69.7% $66

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

San Jose del Monte

$72 9.9% 7.3% $5.6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

San Jose del Monte

$15 2.1% 75.2% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

San Jose del Monte

$46 6.3% 8.2% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $230 in San Jose del Monte. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in San Jose del Monte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $170 – making San Jose del Monte the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 San Jose del Monte

🕒 Local time

06:06 6:06 AM

07:06 7:06 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

651,813

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai San Jose del Monte 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
San Jose del Monte

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Jose del Monte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than San Jose del Monte, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,096 in San Jose del Monte. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose del Monte, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $230 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $129 in San Jose del Monte. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward San Jose del Monte – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, San Jose del Monte is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.