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 5.9% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna without rent, and 16.3% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 11.1% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna without rent, and 15% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.4

$1.74 ₱104

15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿583

$8.72 ₱522

109.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿244

$3.05 ₱183

150.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.3

$2.09 ₱125

-8.13%

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

$0.84 ฿26.90

$0.43 ₱25.50

95.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.39

$0.28 ₱16.96

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.0

$1.21 ₱72.8

80.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$1.08 ₱64.7

250.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.4

$1.75 ₱105

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.8

$1.20 ₱72.1

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.88

$1.07 ₱64.4

7.48%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.0

$1.65 ₱99.1

17.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿510

$5.16 ₱309

208.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.2

$4.20 ₱252

-26.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿354

$7.24 ₱434

52.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.5

$1.57 ₱93.9

72.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.69

$0.52 ₱30.90

126.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.5

$1.58 ₱94.8

8.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.3

$1.65 ₱98.6

-2.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.53

$2.85 ₱171

-51.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.70

$4.23 ₱253

-72.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.76

$1.63 ₱97.4

-56.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.60

$1.02 ₱60.9

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$3.23 ₱193

41.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿603

$9.19 ₱551

105.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.2

$1.59 ₱95.4

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.97 ₱118

62.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.16

$0.26 ₱15.43

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿604

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.17

$0.83 ₱49.88

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.59

$0.24 ₱14.41

441.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿262

$2.08 ₱124

294.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.18

$1.11 ₱66.4

10.81%

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

$21.2K ฿677.0K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-19.13%

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

$22.3K ฿713.3K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

10.39%

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

$69.9 ฿2,234

$96.3 ₱5,769

-27.45%

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

$14.07 ฿450

$33.02 ₱1,978

-57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿566

$29.42 ₱1,763

-39.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,324

$34.33 ₱2,057

20.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

$4.30 ₱258

55.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$7.12 ₱426

-19.38%

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

$299 ฿9,566

$80.6 ₱4,827

271.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿479.8K

$2,764 ₱165.6K

442.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,753

$32.10 ₱1,923

70.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿842

$30.04 ₱1,799

-12.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,706

$99.2 ₱5,941

-14.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,229

$92.3 ₱5,529

-24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.6K

$262 ₱15.7K

63.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,697

$174 ₱10.4K

38.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.9K

$599 ₱35.9K

35.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿15.9K

$395 ₱23.7K

26.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.7K

$2,207 ₱132.2K

-8.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.4K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: April 12, 2026

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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