Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tagbilaran City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tagbilaran City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $619 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,378 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Tagbilaran City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Tagbilaran City 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$3.01 ₱188

-30.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$17.53 ₱1,098

12.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$2.80 ₱176

101.79%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.57 ₱161

-29.57%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.92 ₱57.3

-22.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.42 ₱26.33

-23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$0.82 ₱51.5

173.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.21 ₱138

64.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.56 ₱97.8

25.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.01 ₱63.3

48.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.89 ₱55.9

50.56%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.80 ₱113

25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$9.88 ₱619

64.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.56 ₱286

-35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.44 ₱466

33.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.82 ₱177

-8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.35 ₱84.8

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.31 ₱144

-30.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.56 ₱97.9

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$2.45 ₱153

-48.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.90 ₱119

-43.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.65 ₱40.52

10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.50 ₱31.02

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.39 ₱150

75.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.23 ₱390

186.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.93 ₱58.5

81.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.07 ₱66.9

165.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.50 ₱31.32

86.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.75 ₱47.23

64.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.21 ₱13.14

176.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$4.38 ₱274

-44.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.08 ₱67.6

30.56%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-1.86%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

38.93%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$79.3 ₱4,963

-19.67%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$14.82 ₱928

-13.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$25.23 ₱1,580

-19.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$11.18 ₱700

246.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$3.29 ₱206

20.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$3.56 ₱223

89.33%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$277 ₱17.3K

180.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$8,083 ₱506.1K

80.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$38.16 ₱2,390

42.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$17.97 ₱1,126

41.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$65.8 ₱4,117

43.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$58.7 ₱3,679

25.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$196 ₱12.3K

150.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$141 ₱8,808

105.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$481 ₱30.1K

85.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$341 ₱21.3K

51.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$806 ₱50.5K

142.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$480 ₱30.1K

207.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$176 ₱11.0K

242.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $196 in Tagbilaran City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 242% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Tagbilaran City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $189 – making Tagbilaran City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Tagbilaran City, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $929 in Tagbilaran City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagbilaran City, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Tagbilaran City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tagbilaran City, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Tagbilaran City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tagbilaran City costs $619 versus $947 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 Tagbilaran City. 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.