Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Santa Cruz, Laguna Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Santa Cruz, Laguna

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 3.2% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna without rent, and 11.7% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 26.1% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna without rent, and 15.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿63.8
$1.76 ₱102
15.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿585
$9.05 ₱527
105.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿235
$3.15 ₱184
137.46%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿62.8
$2.09 ₱122
-4.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.63
$0.42 ₱24.62
102.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.05
$0.26 ₱15.11
34.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿69.5
$1.23 ₱71.4
79.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿118
$1.08 ₱62.7
248.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.0
$1.84 ₱107
-6.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.4
$1.25 ₱73.0
30.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.42
$1.04 ₱60.4
11.54%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.2
$1.68 ₱97.8
17.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿501
$5.40 ₱315
195.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿99.6
$4.29 ₱250
-26.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿343
$7.28 ₱424
49.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.2
$1.65 ₱95.8
60.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.45
$0.51 ₱29.50
139.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.4
$1.62 ₱94.5
4.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿49.99
$1.72 ₱99.9
-7.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.63
$2.85 ₱166
-53.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.74
$4.01 ₱234
-70.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.31
$1.58 ₱91.9
-56.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.52
$1.06 ₱61.7
-47.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿142
$3.10 ₱180
45.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿600
$9.70 ₱565
96.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿55.7
$1.56 ₱90.7
13.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿100.0
$2.05 ₱119
55.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.27
$0.26 ₱14.97
269.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿594
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.69
$0.78 ₱45.27
74.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.51
$0.22 ₱12.78
513.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿253
$2.19 ₱127
266.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.08
$1.14 ₱66.4
8.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿665.4K
$25.2K ₱1.5M
-16.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿684.0K
$20.2K ₱1.2M
7.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,240
$94.5 ₱5,501
-24.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿443
$32.79 ₱1,910
-57.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿549
$30.34 ₱1,766
-42.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,323
$34.58 ₱2,013
21.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿216
$4.51 ₱263
52.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿187
$7.14 ₱416
-16.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,664
$80.8 ₱4,706
280.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿465.1K
$2,774 ₱161.5K
433.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,750
$32.29 ₱1,880
72.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿842
$29.46 ₱1,715
-9.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,617
$96.8 ₱5,635
-14.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,204
$94.6 ₱5,506
-25.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.4K
$265 ₱15.4K
61.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,454
$177 ₱10.3K
33.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.2K
$599 ₱34.9K
33.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.8K
$387 ₱22.5K
30.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿64.8K
$2,574 ₱149.9K
-19.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.2K
$670 ₱39.0K
128.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
8.13
-38.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: March 3, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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