Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iloilo and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Iloilo: $693 a month against $906 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Iloilo
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Iloilo Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Iloilo

🇵🇭 Philippines

$693

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iloilo and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $693 per month in Iloilo vs $906 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iloilo $693
Chiang Mai $906

A couple spends around $1,054 per month in Iloilo vs $1,385 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iloilo $1,054
Chiang Mai $1,385

A family of three spends $1,416 per month in Iloilo vs $1,864 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iloilo $1,416
Chiang Mai $1,864

Iloilo is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Iloilo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Iloilo 48% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 ₱177

$2.13 ฿71.4

32.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.43 ₱1,219

$19.40 ฿649

0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.15 ₱198

$5.47 ฿183

-42.41%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ₱131

$1.68 ฿56.4

24.40%

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

$0.65 ₱40.93

$0.66 ฿22.10

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.39

$0.34 ฿11.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₱66.6

$2.42 ฿81.0

-56.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₱113

$3.73 ฿125

-51.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱106

$2.06 ฿68.9

-17.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱75.1

$1.46 ฿48.78

-17.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₱52.9

$1.35 ฿45.09

-37.78%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.27 ฿76.0

-9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 ₱379

$16.31 ฿546

-62.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$2.70 ฿90.3

49.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.18 ₱388

$9.20 ฿308

-32.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ₱208

$2.39 ฿80.1

38.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.3

$1.04 ฿34.66

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ₱192

$1.60 ฿53.7

91.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ₱86.4

$1.44 ฿48.37

-4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱150

$1.30 ฿43.59

83.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 ₱170

$1.11 ฿37.29

144.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 ₱92.4

$0.70 ฿23.55

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱50.8

$0.51 ฿16.99

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$4.13 ฿138

-27.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 ₱388

$17.78 ฿595

-65.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₱68.8

$1.63 ฿54.7

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₱78.8

$2.87 ฿96.0

-56.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.09

$0.86 ฿28.76

-72.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.59 ₱288

$53.2 ฿1,780

-91.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$1.22 ฿40.81

-32.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ₱21.10

$0.56 ฿18.81

-39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.31 ฿77.5

2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱72.9

$1.50 ฿50.2

-22.67%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$20.9K ฿698.3K

4.40%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$26.7K ฿895.0K

-26.93%

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

$64.5 ₱4,044

$61.3 ฿2,051

5.24%

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

$9.82 ₱616

$12.50 ฿419

-21.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.65 ₱1,734

$20.36 ฿682

35.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.76 ₱612

$37.94 ฿1,270

-74.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₱295

$6.60 ฿221

-28.79%

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

$31.77 ₱1,993

$774 ฿25.9K

-95.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.50 ₱1,474

$54.8 ฿1,835

-57.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.74 ₱1,113

$25.26 ฿846

-29.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.5 ₱3,480

$90.6 ฿3,032

-38.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.96 ₱1,503

$73.3 ฿2,453

-67.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₱19.3K

$459 ฿15.4K

-32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 ₱15.4K

$294 ฿9,835

-16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 ₱74.3K

$919 ฿30.8K

28.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ₱27.4K

$552 ฿18.5K

-20.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,633 ₱227.9K

$1,917 ฿64.2K

89.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,055 ₱66.2K

$1,445 ฿48.4K

-26.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ₱12.9K

$592 ฿19.8K

-65.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.33

5.57

31.60%

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

Last update for Iloilo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Iloilo

$246 35.8%

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8% 19.3% $48

Groceries & Markets

Iloilo

$188 27.3%

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6% 25.6% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iloilo

$102 14.8%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 7.7% $7.8

Eating Out

Iloilo

$70 10.2%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4% 10.2% $7.2

Clothing & Footwear

Iloilo

$54 7.9%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9% 102% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Iloilo

$19 2.8%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 167% $32

Getting Around

Iloilo

$8.1 1.2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 652% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $308 in Iloilo versus $459 in Chiang Mai. 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 Iloilo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $236 – making Iloilo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Iloilo

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:45 2:45 PM

13:45 1:45 PM

1 h behind Iloilo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

457,626

127,240

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Iloilo Chiang Mai 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Iloilo
Chiang Mai

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

Iloilo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Iloilo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,040 per month in Iloilo and $1,359 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $31.77 per month in Iloilo and $774 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iloilo, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Iloilo 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. Iloilo costs $693 versus $906 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 Iloilo. 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.