Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tuguegarao

For one person, living is cheaper in Tuguegarao: $579 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Tuguegarao
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Tuguegarao Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Tuguegarao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$579

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Tuguegarao

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 Tuguegarao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $579 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Tuguegarao $579

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $926 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Tuguegarao $926

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,273 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Tuguegarao $1,273

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Tuguegarao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Tuguegarao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Tuguegarao 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.62 ₱102

39.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$16.49 ₱1,038

16.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$2.86 ₱180

95.45%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.86 ₱117

-7.53%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.44 ₱27.56

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.28 ₱17.48

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$0.98 ₱61.9

140.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$1.64 ₱103

137.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.68 ₱106

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.15 ₱72.5

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.75 ₱47.44

70.67%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.02 ₱127

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$5.08 ₱320

233.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$3.46 ₱218

-20.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$7.69 ₱484

21.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.31 ₱145

3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.61 ₱101

-37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.34 ₱148

-31.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.07 ₱67.3

42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.75 ₱110

-26.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.73 ₱109

-35.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.62 ₱38.79

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.53 ₱33.17

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$1.94 ₱122

123.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$8.77 ₱552

102.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.97 ₱61.2

68.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.09 ₱132

36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.26 ₱16.09

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$10.09 ₱635

434.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.78 ₱48.85

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.23 ₱14.42

147.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.96 ₱123

20.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.08 ₱68.2

34.26%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-3.60%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

35.36%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$31.55 ₱1,987

97.56%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$17.41 ₱1,096

-29.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$23.02 ₱1,449

-13.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$32.30 ₱2,033

17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$4.57 ₱288

-17.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.30 ₱334

26.60%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$134 ₱8,446

494.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$10.6K ₱669.6K

39.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$28.57 ₱1,799

86.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$19.36 ₱1,219

29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$39.20 ₱2,468

133.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$23.67 ₱1,490

210.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$265 ₱16.7K

75.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$171 ₱10.8K

78.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$522 ₱32.9K

75.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$359 ₱22.6K

53.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$2,452 ₱154.4K

-22.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,035 ₱65.2K

38.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$207 ₱13.0K

187.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Tuguegarao

$171 29.5% 43.9% $134

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Tuguegarao

$175 30.2% 26.5% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Tuguegarao

$50 8.6% 54.5% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Tuguegarao

$72 12.4% 23.9% $23

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Tuguegarao

$55 9.5% 30.4% $24

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Tuguegarao

$13 2.3% 78.7% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Tuguegarao

$43 7.4% 16.4% $8.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $265 in Tuguegarao. 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 188% 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 $16.00 in Tuguegarao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $175 – making Tuguegarao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Tuguegarao

🕒 Local time

00:40 12:40 AM

01:40 1:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

166,334

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 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 October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Tuguegarao 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tuguegarao

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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Tuguegarao, 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $868 in Tuguegarao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuguegarao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $134 in Tuguegarao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuguegarao, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Tuguegarao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tuguegarao costs $579 versus $938 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 Tuguegarao. 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.