Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tanay Rizal

For one person, living is cheaper in Tanay Rizal: $716 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Tanay Rizal
Learn more

Tanay Rizal Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Tanay Rizal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$716

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Tanay Rizal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Tanay Rizal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Tanay Rizal $716

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,096 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Tanay Rizal $1,096

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,476 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Tanay Rizal $1,476

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Tanay Rizal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Tanay Rizal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Tanay Rizal 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$3.89 ₱247

-45.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$16.67 ₱1,060

11.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$2.81 ₱179

99.29%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.22 ₱141

-25.23%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$0.63 ₱40.28

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.33 ₱21.09

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$1.19 ₱75.5

94.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.12 ₱135

73.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.60 ₱102

26.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$1.15 ₱73.2

22.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$0.96 ₱60.9

44.79%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$1.85 ₱118

28.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$5.57 ₱354

196.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$4.03 ₱256

-33.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$6.91 ₱439

30.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$2.33 ₱148

3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.52 ₱96.6

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.40 ₱153

-30.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.16 ₱73.6

34.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$2.04 ₱130

-39.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$2.28 ₱145

-52.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.10 ₱70.0

-30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.52 ₱33.33

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.93 ₱187

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$7.25 ₱461

147.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$0.93 ₱58.9

74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.90 ₱121

48.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.24 ₱15.28

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$12.52 ₱796

322.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$0.79 ₱49.98

49.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.20 ₱12.73

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.83 ₱116

-1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.17 ₱74.6

25.64%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-0.90%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$18.8K ₱1.2M

41.03%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$119 ₱7,565

-47.42%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$15.75 ₱1,002

-26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$23.45 ₱1,491

-13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$30.84 ₱1,961

22.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$5.08 ₱323

-27.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.21 ₱331

24.95%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$129 ₱8,232

461.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$7,854 ₱499.4K

111.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$32.05 ₱2,037

67.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$19.03 ₱1,210

30.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$69.1 ₱4,396

30.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$55.3 ₱3,518

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$254 ₱16.2K

89.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$165 ₱10.5K

87.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$491 ₱31.2K

115.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$350 ₱22.2K

88.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$2,642 ₱168.0K

-8.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,116 ₱71.0K

44.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.92

-19.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Tanay Rizal: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Tanay Rizal

$165 23.1% 46.8% $145

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Tanay Rizal

$177 24.7% 25.3% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Tanay Rizal

$79 11% 27.1% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Tanay Rizal

$158 22.1% 67.4% $64

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Tanay Rizal

$80 11.2% 4.8% $3.6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Tanay Rizal

$15 2.1% 74% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Tanay Rizal

$41 5.8% 18.9% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $254 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 in Chiang Mai versus $17 in Tanay Rizal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $177 – making Tanay Rizal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Tanay Rizal

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

59,950

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Tanay Rizal 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tanay Rizal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 31% more than Tanay Rizal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,074 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $254 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $129 in Tanay Rizal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Tanay Rizal, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Tanay Rizal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tanay Rizal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Tanay Rizal is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 23% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.