Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,476 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal is about 16% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Island Garden City of Samal and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Island Garden City of Samal 46% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.31 ₱80.2

$1.96 ฿63.6

-33.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.51 ₱765

$18.81 ฿611

-33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ₱274

$7.92 ฿258

-43.56%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ₱131

$1.91 ฿62.2

11.52%

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

$0.81 ₱49.69

$0.84 ฿27.25

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.45

$0.35 ฿11.44

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₱88.8

$2.21 ฿71.7

-34.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₱111

$3.80 ฿124

-52.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱74.3

$1.64 ฿53.2

-26.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₱36.60

$1.62 ฿52.8

-62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₱42.18

$1.18 ฿38.40

-41.53%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱126

$2.01 ฿65.4

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 ₱360

$15.89 ฿517

-63.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ₱199

$3.01 ฿98.0

7.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 ₱323

$10.77 ฿350

-51.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱177

$2.61 ฿85.0

10.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.4

$1.22 ฿39.65

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$1.70 ฿55.4

34.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₱77.6

$1.58 ฿51.2

-19.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱141

$1.32 ฿42.89

74.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₱96.4

$1.17 ฿38.01

35.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₱55.3

$0.67 ฿21.85

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.46

$0.56 ฿18.21

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 ₱161

$4.53 ฿147

-41.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₱500

$18.20 ฿592

-55.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱76.0

$1.83 ฿59.6

-32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱74.5

$3.23 ฿105

-62.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.21

$0.89 ฿28.83

-68.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₱42.16

$1.35 ฿43.95

-48.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.09 ₱5.78

$1.35 ฿43.79

-93.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱132

$8.25 ฿268

-73.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.1

$1.27 ฿41.40

-9.45%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

3.75%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-7.62%

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

$100 ₱6,125

$70.2 ฿2,281

42.72%

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

$34.22 ₱2,094

$13.77 ฿448

148.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.41 ₱2,227

$17.60 ฿572

106.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.49 ₱2,110

$41.57 ฿1,352

-17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱267

$6.60 ฿215

-33.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 ₱268

$5.78 ฿188

-24.05%

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

$120 ₱7,321

$306 ฿9,953

-60.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,354 ₱266.4K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-70.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ₱2,839

$54.4 ฿1,768

-14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 ₱1,815

$26.14 ฿850

13.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,672

$84.5 ฿2,748

-9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₱4,235

$69.4 ฿2,257

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.0K

$424 ฿13.8K

-38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.8K

$238 ฿7,743

-26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₱36.4K

$825 ฿26.8K

-27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₱24.6K

$515 ฿16.7K

-22.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 ₱127.5K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

1.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

91.20%

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

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $424 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $243 – making Island Garden City of Samal 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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $1,078 per month in Island Garden City of Samal and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $719 in Island Garden City of Samal and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $719 versus $852 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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.