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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $771 in Talisay City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,190 in Talisay City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,608 in Talisay City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Talisay City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Talisay City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Talisay City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$3.59 ₱221

-45.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$17.81 ₱1,097

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$3.34 ₱206

123.95%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.37 ₱146

-14.77%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.77 ₱47.62

10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.39 ₱24.25

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.31 ₱80.5

63.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.09 ₱129

71.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.91 ₱118

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$1.27 ₱78.0

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$0.96 ₱58.9

23.96%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.06 ₱127

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.23 ₱507

96.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$4.30 ₱265

-30.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$7.70 ₱474

42.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$2.88 ₱178

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.55 ₱95.3

-24.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.61 ₱161

-35.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.59 ₱98.0

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$2.31 ₱142

-40.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$2.49 ₱154

-51.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$1.12 ₱68.9

-40.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.77 ₱47.13

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.77 ₱170

67.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$7.48 ₱461

135.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.16 ₱71.4

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.96 ₱121

68.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.26 ₱15.83

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$0.81 ₱50.1

67.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$0.24 ₱14.80

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.09 ₱129

292.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.11 ₱68.3

9.91%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-19.58%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

10.84%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$113 ₱6,933

-37.24%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$32.61 ₱2,008

-56.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$28.00 ₱1,724

-37.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$33.66 ₱2,072

25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.47 ₱276

53.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.84 ₱360

1.37%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$150 ₱9,254

105.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$4,331 ₱266.7K

243.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$45.51 ₱2,802

22.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$26.29 ₱1,619

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$75.0 ₱4,619

10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$54.0 ₱3,326

30.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$265 ₱16.3K

62.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$175 ₱10.8K

36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$582 ₱35.8K

41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$394 ₱24.3K

29.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$2,750 ₱169.3K

-30.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$995 ₱61.2K

47.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$346 ₱21.3K

67.32%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Talisay City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $265 in Talisay 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 67% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Talisay City. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in Talisay City – so Talisay City 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 Talisay City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Talisay 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,157 in Talisay City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $771 in Talisay City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Talisay City costs $771 versus $861 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 Talisay 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.