Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vigan

For one person, living is cheaper in Vigan: $720 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
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Vigan
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Vigan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Vigan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $720 in Vigan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Vigan $720

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,087 in Vigan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Vigan $1,087

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,455 in Vigan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Vigan $1,455

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Vigan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$3.88 ₱247

-45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$16.73 ₱1,062

11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$1.74 ₱111

221.84%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.76 ₱112

-5.68%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.58 ₱37.08

12.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.31 ₱19.43

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$1.00 ₱63.7

132.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$1.58 ₱100

132.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.57 ₱99.9

28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$1.14 ₱72.3

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$1.00 ₱63.6

39.00%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.99 ₱126

19.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$4.84 ₱308

241.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$3.29 ₱209

-18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$7.53 ₱478

19.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.24 ₱142

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$1.58 ₱100

-34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$2.35 ₱149

-29.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$1.01 ₱64.3

54.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$1.70 ₱108

-27.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$1.70 ₱108

-35.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.87 ₱55.0

-12.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.52 ₱32.92

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.93 ₱186

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$8.50 ₱539

110.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$0.94 ₱59.5

72.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$2.04 ₱130

38.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.24 ₱15.31

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

$12.42 ₱788

325.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$0.80 ₱50.5

47.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.20 ₱12.72

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$1.84 ₱117

-1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$1.24 ₱78.9

18.55%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

1.74%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

42.73%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$137 ₱8,685

-54.27%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$17.37 ₱1,103

-33.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$23.09 ₱1,466

-12.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$31.16 ₱1,978

21.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$5.31 ₱337

-30.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$5.20 ₱330

25.19%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$132 ₱8,359

452.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$10.5K ₱669.0K

57.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$28.61 ₱1,816

87.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$19.14 ₱1,215

29.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$70.6 ₱4,484

27.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$54.1 ₱3,433

33.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$251 ₱16.0K

91.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$167 ₱10.6K

85.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$490 ₱31.1K

116.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$345 ₱21.9K

91.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$2,582 ₱163.9K

-6.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,091 ₱69.3K

47.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Vigan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Vigan

$167 23.3% 46% $142

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Vigan

$172 23.9% 27.4% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Vigan

$78 10.8% 28.4% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Vigan

$177 24.6% 87.6% $83

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Vigan

$69 9.6% 9.7% $7.4

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Vigan

$15 2.1% 74.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Vigan

$42 5.8% 18.3% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $251 in Vigan. 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 Vigan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $172 – making Vigan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇭 Vigan

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

14:29 2:29 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

53,879

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 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 November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.49 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Vigan 2,260 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Vigan

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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Vigan, 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 $1,080 in Vigan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vigan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $251 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $132 in Vigan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $720 in Vigan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Vigan – 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, Vigan 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.