Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Siargao Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Siargao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $787 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,212 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,637 in Siargao, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Siargao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Siargao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.49 ₱214

-41.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$19.60 ₱1,200

-4.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.32 ₱203

136.75%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.65 ₱162

-23.40%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.82 ₱50.2

-2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.37 ₱22.40

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.29 ₱79.3

65.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.15 ₱132

70.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.92 ₱117

-9.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.26 ₱77.1

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.01 ₱62.0

18.81%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.06 ₱126

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.18 ₱501

98.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.13 ₱253

-25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.93 ₱486

36.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.87 ₱176

-3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.56 ₱95.3

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.58 ₱158

-33.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.55 ₱94.7

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.20 ₱134

-36.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.54 ₱156

-54.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.11 ₱68.0

-40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.77 ₱47.40

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.88 ₱176

61.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.82 ₱418

160.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.19 ₱73.0

50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.96 ₱120

70.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.26 ₱15.76

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.84 ₱51.3

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.22 ₱13.45

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.10 ₱129

286.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.10 ₱67.2

11.82%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.5K ₱1.6M

-19.08%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

7.77%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$115 ₱7,010

-37.71%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$33.42 ₱2,046

-58.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$27.94 ₱1,710

-35.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$34.02 ₱2,082

19.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$4.56 ₱279

50.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.04 ₱370

-5.30%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$150 ₱9,167

105.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,291 ₱262.7K

242.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$45.86 ₱2,807

21.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$26.08 ₱1,597

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$74.2 ₱4,542

14.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$52.1 ₱3,190

36.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$262 ₱16.1K

61.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$177 ₱10.8K

37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$595 ₱36.4K

33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$390 ₱23.9K

29.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,351 ₱143.9K

-18.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$936 ₱57.3K

56.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Siargao: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Siargao. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Siargao. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Siargao – so Siargao 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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Siargao, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,181 in Siargao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Siargao, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 in Siargao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $787 in Siargao, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Siargao costs $787 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Siargao. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.