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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $788 in Talisay City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,204 in Talisay City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,620 in Talisay City, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Talisay City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Talisay City are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Talisay City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.48 ₱214

-44.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$17.85 ₱1,101

4.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.30 ₱203

136.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.38 ₱147

-18.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.83 ₱50.9

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 ₱22.67

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.35 ₱83.3

57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.18 ₱134

71.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.82 ₱112

-6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.21 ₱74.9

34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.01 ₱62.4

12.87%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.05 ₱127

-5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.89 ₱486

105.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.36 ₱269

-28.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.79 ₱481

39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.87 ₱177

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.53 ₱94.3

-20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.60 ₱160

-37.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.61 ₱99.1

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.21 ₱136

-36.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.53 ₱156

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.07 ₱66.0

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.77 ₱47.75

-31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.78 ₱172

68.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.28 ₱449

156.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.15 ₱71.0

56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 ₱123

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.26 ₱15.86

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.82 ₱50.3

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.24 ₱14.86

437.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.16 ₱133

262.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.15 ₱71.1

10.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

-19.33%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

8.71%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$111 ₱6,870

-38.01%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$32.62 ₱2,011

-56.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.26 ₱1,681

-33.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$33.66 ₱2,076

21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.30 ₱265

61.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.83 ₱360

1.54%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$150 ₱9,236

99.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,313 ₱265.9K

246.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$46.54 ₱2,870

17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.64 ₱1,643

0.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.2 ₱4,638

13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$53.8 ₱3,320

31.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$269 ₱16.6K

59.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$176 ₱10.9K

34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$584 ₱36.0K

37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$397 ₱24.5K

29.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,307 ₱142.3K

-14.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$942 ₱58.1K

56.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$335 ₱20.6K

84.48%

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 Talisay City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $269 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 84% 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 $18.00 in Talisay City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $203 – making Talisay 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 Talisay City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,182 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 $19.00 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 21% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $788 in Talisay City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Talisay City costs $788 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 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.