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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 50.1% more expensive than Tarlac City without rent, and 38.5% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 14.2% more expensive than Tarlac City without rent, and 41.5% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.2
$2.74 ₱160
-25.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿588
$15.23 ₱891
22.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$3.51 ₱205
113.11%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.2
$1.59 ₱92.7
25.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.81
$0.83 ₱48.28
2.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.13
$0.26 ₱15.10
34.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.0
$0.93 ₱54.3
137.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$1.79 ₱105
110.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.4
$1.66 ₱96.8
3.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.7
$1.53 ₱89.6
6.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.66
$0.93 ₱54.6
24.73%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.6
$2.07 ₱121
-4.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿504
$9.00 ₱527
77.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$3.25 ₱190
-2.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿345
$5.92 ₱346
84.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.7
$2.85 ₱166
-7.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.70
$1.55 ₱90.8
-21.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.7
$2.07 ₱121
-17.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.3
$1.48 ₱86.8
7.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.90
$1.42 ₱83.2
-7.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.99
$1.12 ₱65.6
4.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.46
$0.92 ₱53.9
-26.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.64
$0.90 ₱52.7
-37.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$2.82 ₱165
59.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿604
$3.92 ₱230
386.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.0
$0.84 ₱48.89
110.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$1.52 ₱89.1
109.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.47
$0.28 ₱16.47
242.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿598
$7.78 ₱455
142.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.98
$0.84 ₱49.11
61.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.80
$0.22 ₱12.86
513.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿254
$2.07 ₱121
287.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.34
$1.13 ₱66.0
9.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿669.8K
$27.9K ₱1.6M
-24.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿688.5K
$19.4K ₱1.1M
11.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,255
$98.7 ₱5,774
-27.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿446
$16.18 ₱947
-12.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿553
$26.91 ₱1,575
-35.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,332
$44.89 ₱2,626
-6.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$17.45 ₱1,021
-60.57%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$6.30 ₱369
-5.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,728
$171 ₱9,990
79.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿468.2K
$14.1K ₱822.6K
5.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,762
$45.85 ₱2,682
21.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿848
$26.21 ₱1,533
2.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,634
$52.0 ₱3,042
60.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,219
$36.63 ₱2,143
91.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$126 ₱7,384
238.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,504
$99.9 ₱5,844
137.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$262 ₱15.3K
205.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$180 ₱10.5K
179.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.2K
$402 ₱23.5K
413.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.5K
$317 ₱18.5K
384.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tarlac City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
$229 ₱13.4K
185.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
6.17
-18.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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