Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tuguegarao Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tuguegarao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $634 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,010 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,387 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tuguegarao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tuguegarao 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$1.73 ₱104

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$13.52 ₱814

36.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$2.72 ₱164

189.34%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.37 ₱143

-17.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.49 ₱29.22

73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.33 ₱20.17

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.46 ₱87.8

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$1.96 ₱118

87.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.91 ₱115

-13.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.21 ₱72.9

28.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$0.83 ₱50.1

43.37%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.27 ₱137

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$6.43 ₱387

152.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$3.76 ₱227

-15.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$8.38 ₱505

29.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.68 ₱161

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.77 ₱107

-31.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.36 ₱142

-30.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.21 ₱72.7

28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.88 ₱113

-29.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$2.32 ₱139

-47.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.67 ₱40.55

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.76 ₱45.78

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.11 ₱127

121.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$9.01 ₱543

88.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.03 ₱62.1

76.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.34 ₱141

35.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.28 ₱16.95

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.85 ₱51.3

65.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.22 ₱13.19

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$2.40 ₱145

239.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.11 ₱66.7

15.32%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.4K ₱2.0M

-32.62%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$20.6K ₱1.2M

8.66%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$35.53 ₱2,140

98.37%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$17.54 ₱1,056

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$25.81 ₱1,555

-31.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$33.44 ₱2,014

23.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$4.51 ₱272

49.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$5.88 ₱354

1.36%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$152 ₱9,128

99.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$4,637 ₱279.3K

222.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$49.11 ₱2,958

11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$27.63 ₱1,664

-4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$44.01 ₱2,651

94.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$26.17 ₱1,576

166.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$270 ₱16.3K

58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$177 ₱10.7K

34.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$596 ₱35.9K

36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$388 ₱23.4K

31.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$215 ₱12.9K

189.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $270 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 190% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Tuguegarao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $196 – making Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Tuguegarao, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $951 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Tuguegarao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $634 in Tuguegarao, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tuguegarao costs $634 versus $848 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.