Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz, Laguna: $616 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Santa Cruz, Laguna
Learn more

Santa Cruz, Laguna Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Santa Cruz, Laguna

🇵🇭 Philippines

$616

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Santa Cruz, Laguna

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $616 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Santa Cruz, Laguna $616

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $911 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Santa Cruz, Laguna $911

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,206 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Santa Cruz, Laguna $1,206

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Santa Cruz, Laguna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Santa Cruz, Laguna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$1.55 ₱98.8

44.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$7.73 ₱494

145.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$2.79 ₱178

98.92%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.76 ₱113

-5.11%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.37 ₱23.90

72.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.24 ₱15.42

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.01 ₱64.7

133.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$0.90 ₱57.2

306.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.54 ₱98.4

26.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.15 ₱73.3

25.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.91 ₱57.9

46.15%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.52 ₱97.0

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$4.82 ₱308

241.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.29 ₱210

-15.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$7.20 ₱460

29.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.37 ₱87.7

71.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$0.49 ₱31.52

97.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.43 ₱91.7

11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.06 ₱67.7

41.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.67 ₱107

-23.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.68 ₱107

-34.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.61 ₱39.25

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.52 ₱33.12

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.93 ₱187

41.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.49 ₱543

106.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.96 ₱61.4

67.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.06 ₱131

34.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.21 ₱13.11

314.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$11.50 ₱735

370.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.76 ₱48.74

52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.22 ₱14.00

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.93 ₱124

25.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.20 ₱76.5

20.83%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

1.72%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

42.33%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$82.8 ₱5,290

-24.91%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$17.51 ₱1,118

-30.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$22.58 ₱1,443

-10.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$27.30 ₱1,744

36.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$4.47 ₱285

-15.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.03 ₱321

29.03%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$128 ₱8,194

474.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$10.6K ₱677.6K

39.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$28.32 ₱1,809

88.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$19.21 ₱1,227

28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$69.6 ₱4,447

31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$53.7 ₱3,431

33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$219 ₱14.0K

120.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$160 ₱10.2K

92.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$480 ₱30.7K

109.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$298 ₱19.1K

112.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,453 ₱156.7K

-3.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,079 ₱68.9K

47.29%

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$160 26% 48.2% $149

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$153 24.8% 34.8% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$77 12.5% 29.2% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$123 20% 30.1% $28

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$51 8.3% 34% $26

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$14 2.3% 76.9% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$37 6.1% 25.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $219 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. 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 $8 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $153 – making Santa Cruz, Laguna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Santa Cruz, Laguna

🕒 Local time

06:16 6:16 AM

07:16 7:16 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

123,574

💱 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Santa Cruz, Laguna

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Santa Cruz, Laguna, 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 $923 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, Laguna, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $219 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $128 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $616 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz, Laguna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Santa Cruz, Laguna is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 34% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.