Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Chiang Mai

🙂 Solo nomad: El Nido is 1.9% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 6.6% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: El Nido is 2.9% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 3.3% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.22 ₱290
$2.02 ฿65.3
158.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.22 ₱1,682
$18.78 ฿608
60.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.24 ₱236
$7.67 ฿248
-44.72%
Cappuccino
$3.94 ₱220
$1.98 ฿64.2
98.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₱75
$0.82 ฿26.64
64.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ₱45.56
$0.33 ฿10.58
148.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.35 ₱75.4
$2.12 ฿68.6
-36.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 ₱119
$3.73 ฿121
-42.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 ₱103
$1.64 ฿53.2
12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 ₱67.5
$1.57 ฿50.9
-22.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 ₱101
$1.19 ฿38.62
52.10%
Eggs
$2.51 ₱140
$1.98 ฿64.1
26.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 ₱454
$15.99 ฿517
-48.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.47 ₱193
$3.12 ฿101
11.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.22 ₱458
$11.16 ฿361
-26.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.87 ₱160
$2.76 ฿89.2
3.99%
Banana (1kg)
$0.74 ₱40.98
$1.22 ฿39.5
-39.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 ₱149
$1.71 ฿55.4
56.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 ₱116
$1.55 ฿50.2
34.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 ₱129
$1.34 ฿43.21
72.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 ₱116
$1.21 ฿39.23
72.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ₱62.2
$0.72 ฿23.2
55.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 ₱40.48
$0.53 ฿17.05
37.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89 ₱161
$4.72 ฿153
-38.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 ₱346
$18.39 ฿595
-66.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.2 ₱66.8
$1.79 ฿57.9
-32.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 ₱114
$3.21 ฿104
-36.45%
🚌 Getting Around
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 ₱18.92
$0.94 ฿30.44
-63.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.9 ฿612
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 ₱46.64
$1.42 ฿46.08
-40.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 ₱13.43
$1.35 ฿43.53
-82.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₱121
$7.85 ฿254
-72.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 ₱57.4
$1.25 ฿40.4
-17.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K ₱1.5M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
23.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₱1.1M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
-7.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 ₱6,344
$70.6 ฿2,285
61.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.49 ₱1,809
$13.72 ฿444
136.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.26 ₱1,796
$17.56 ฿568
83.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.76 ₱1,880
$41.64 ฿1,347
-18.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.9 ฿223
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ₱323
$5.8 ฿188
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$155 ₱8,610
$308 ฿9,963
-49.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,265 ₱237.5K
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-70.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.04 ₱2,563
$55.4 ฿1,793
-16.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.66 ₱1,484
$26.4 ฿854
0.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.6 ₱4,211
$85.1 ฿2,755
-11.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.8 ₱2,993
$71.8 ฿2,323
-25.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$270 ₱15K
$434 ฿14K
-37.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$177 ₱9,860
$235 ฿7,610
-24.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$592 ₱33K
$821 ฿26.6K
-27.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$402 ₱22.4K
$498 ฿16.1K
-19.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,167 ₱120.6K
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-0.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Nido
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$277 ₱15.4K
$703 ฿22.8K
-60.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
5
33.40%

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

Last update for El Nido: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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