Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Siargao

For one person, living is cheaper in Siargao: $783 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Siargao
Learn more

Siargao Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Siargao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$783

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Siargao

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 Siargao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $783 in Siargao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Siargao $783

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,222 in Siargao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Siargao $1,222

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,660 in Siargao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Siargao $1,660

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Siargao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Siargao 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.66 ₱233

-38.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$19.68 ₱1,253

-3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.32 ₱211

67.17%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.50 ₱160

-33.20%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.83 ₱52.7

-22.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.40 ₱25.27

-22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.29 ₱81.9

82.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.16 ₱137

69.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.92 ₱122

1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.26 ₱80.2

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.93 ₱59.5

43.01%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.05 ₱131

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.11 ₱517

102.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.26 ₱272

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$7.51 ₱478

23.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.90 ₱185

-18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.52 ₱97.1

-36.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.59 ₱165

-38.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.57 ₱99.8

-4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$2.19 ₱140

-41.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$2.59 ₱165

-57.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.08 ₱68.6

-34.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.72 ₱45.97

-31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.80 ₱179

47.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$6.94 ₱442

152.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.16 ₱73.6

38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.03 ₱129

36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.26 ₱16.42

234.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$11.37 ₱724

375.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.78 ₱49.61

48.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.24 ₱15.37

120.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.09 ₱133

15.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.14 ₱72.5

27.19%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$26.6K ₱1.7M

-20.94%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

32.74%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$112 ₱7,124

-44.42%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$32.27 ₱2,056

-62.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$27.58 ₱1,757

-27.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$33.95 ₱2,162

9.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$4.50 ₱287

-16.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.98 ₱381

8.53%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$151 ₱9,619

387.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$4,239 ₱270.0K

248.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$45.52 ₱2,899

17.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$26.51 ₱1,689

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$76.5 ₱4,869

19.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$54.2 ₱3,450

32.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$263 ₱16.8K

83.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$173 ₱11.0K

78.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$580 ₱37.0K

73.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$387 ₱24.6K

63.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,322 ₱147.9K

1.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,123 ₱71.5K

41.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Siargao: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Siargao

$173 22.1% 43.9% $136

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Siargao

$202 25.8% 13.7% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Siargao

$91 11.6% 16.1% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Siargao

$172 21.9% 81.8% $77

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Siargao

$85 10.8% 9.4% $7.3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Siargao

$14 1.8% 76.6% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Siargao

$46 5.9% 8.7% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $263 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 in Chiang Mai versus $20 in Siargao. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $202 in Siargao – so Siargao wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Siargao

🕒 Local time

16:05 4:05 PM

17:05 5:05 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

150,000

💱 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.08 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Siargao 3,070 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Siargao

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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Siargao, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,175 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $263 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $151 in Siargao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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