Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tanay Rizal Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tanay Rizal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $829 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,240 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,651 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Tanay Rizal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Tanay Rizal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tanay Rizal 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.45 ₱213

-43.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$8.73 ₱539

115.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.46 ₱213

128.90%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.92 ₱180

-34.59%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.51 ₱31.58

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.28 ₱17.36

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.21 ₱74.4

82.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.19 ₱135

73.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.75 ₱108

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.62 ₱100

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.02 ₱62.7

15.69%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.05 ₱126

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.82 ₱482

103.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.18 ₱319

-41.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.77 ₱665

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.31 ₱143

12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.59 ₱98.4

-23.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.10 ₱191

-45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.20 ₱74.1

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.73 ₱107

-23.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$3.50 ₱216

-66.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.10 ₱68.0

-39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.89 ₱54.8

-37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.81 ₱173

61.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.85 ₱484

131.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.33 ₱82.0

37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.41 ₱149

34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.28 ₱17.37

217.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.77 ₱47.73

75.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.24 ₱14.89

462.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.19 ₱135

276.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.04 ₱64.2

22.12%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$27.8K ₱1.7M

-23.92%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$17.5K ₱1.1M

28.41%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$128 ₱7,894

-45.19%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$33.11 ₱2,042

-58.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$21.37 ₱1,318

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.88 ₱2,090

22.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.49 ₱277

46.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.08 ₱375

-4.93%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$149 ₱9,173

105.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,277 ₱263.8K

246.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$26.88 ₱1,658

102.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.97 ₱2,095

-23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$44.07 ₱2,718

91.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$116 ₱7,171

-40.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$262 ₱16.2K

61.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$178 ₱11.0K

33.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$581 ₱35.9K

41.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$391 ₱24.1K

31.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,058 ₱126.9K

-0.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

-18.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tanay Rizal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Tanay Rizal. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $9.00 in Tanay Rizal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $222 – making Tanay Rizal 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 Tanay Rizal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Tanay Rizal, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,243 in Tanay Rizal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanay Rizal, 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 $9.00 in Tanay Rizal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $829 in Tanay Rizal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tanay Rizal costs $829 versus $852 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 Tanay Rizal. 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.