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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $754 in Tagum City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,162 in Tagum City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,571 in Tagum City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Tagum City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tagum City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tagum City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.56 ₱220

-45.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.14 ₱872

31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.75 ₱231

108.53%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.63 ₱101

19.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.76 ₱46.87

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.39 ₱24.06

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.36 ₱83.7

56.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.36 ₱84.1

174.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.90 ₱117

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.22 ₱75.5

33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.95 ₱58.4

20.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.98 ₱122

-2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.18 ₱504

98.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.24 ₱261

-26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.89 ₱486

38.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.85 ₱176

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.57 ₱97.1

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.59 ₱160

-37.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.60 ₱98.5

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.22 ₱137

-36.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.60 ₱160

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.07 ₱66.1

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.71 ₱43.60

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.90 ₱179

61.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.19 ₱73.7

51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.00 ₱123

61.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.26 ₱16.02

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.83 ₱51.0

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.24 ₱14.88

437.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.08 ₱128

276.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.09 ₱67.1

16.51%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-20.08%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

7.57%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$111 ₱6,847

-37.80%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$33.26 ₱2,051

-57.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.67 ₱1,706

-34.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$33.83 ₱2,086

21.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.39 ₱271

58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.00 ₱370

-1.33%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$149 ₱9,201

100.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,361 ₱268.9K

242.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$46.04 ₱2,839

18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.94 ₱1,661

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$74.4 ₱4,585

14.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$53.2 ₱3,278

32.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$271 ₱16.7K

58.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$179 ₱11.0K

32.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$597 ₱36.8K

34.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$398 ₱24.5K

29.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$206 ₱12.7K

199.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $271 in Tagum 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 199% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Tagum City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $189 – making Tagum 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Tagum City, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,131 in Tagum City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagum 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Tagum City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $754 in Tagum City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tagum City costs $754 versus $866 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 Tagum 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.