Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati 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 Makati and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Makati vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Makati $1,228
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $2,028 per month in Makati vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Makati $2,028
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,828 per month in Makati vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Makati $2,828
Chiang Mai $1,914

Makati costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Makati and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Makati 9% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 ₱392

$2.26 ฿75.4

175.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 ₱2,491

$19.18 ฿641

106.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱307

$5.59 ฿187

-12.70%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₱161

$1.72 ฿57.6

48.26%

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

$1.06 ₱67.0

$0.64 ฿21.54

65.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.54

$0.33 ฿11.18

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₱150

$2.36 ฿78.7

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₱202

$3.90 ฿130

-17.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱120

$2.05 ฿68.6

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱81.5

$1.40 ฿46.70

-7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱67.0

$1.28 ฿42.89

-17.19%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$2.25 ฿75.3

9.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ₱459

$16.94 ฿566

-56.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱306

$2.74 ฿91.6

77.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₱442

$9.36 ฿313

-24.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$2.40 ฿80.3

68.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.01 ฿33.92

92.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱203

$1.61 ฿53.9

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.52 ฿50.7

50.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 ₱219

$1.28 ฿42.90

171.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱226

$1.11 ฿37.22

223.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱66.8

$0.72 ฿24.09

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.52 ฿17.54

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 ₱169

$4.33 ฿145

-37.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ₱511

$17.73 ฿593

-54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.63 ฿54.4

-19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱124

$2.85 ฿95.3

-30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.4

$0.85 ฿28.31

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ₱3,575

$53.9 ฿1,801

5.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱41.91

$1.17 ฿39.18

-42.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.16

$0.57 ฿19.00

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱121

$2.37 ฿79.2

-18.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.8

$1.45 ฿48.32

-13.79%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

3.83%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-26.22%

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

$153 ₱9,620

$62.3 ฿2,083

145.15%

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

$16.06 ₱1,011

$12.27 ฿410

30.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.37 ₱2,038

$19.97 ฿668

62.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₱3,456

$37.91 ฿1,267

44.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱890

$3.76 ฿126

276.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱454

$6.71 ฿224

7.60%

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

$794 ₱50.0K

$797 ฿26.6K

-0.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,321 ₱460.9K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-50.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 ₱3,850

$53.3 ฿1,780

14.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.86 ₱2,321

$25.05 ฿837

47.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 ₱5,129

$91.6 ฿3,062

-11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,510

$73.5 ฿2,455

40.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 ₱51.3K

$464 ฿15.5K

75.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₱26.3K

$305 ฿10.2K

36.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$915 ฿30.6K

148.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 ₱67.3K

$552 ฿18.5K

93.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,869 ₱369.5K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

206.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,738 ₱235.4K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

159.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 ₱37.9K

$595 ฿19.9K

1.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.57

34.65%

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

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$417 34%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 27% $113

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$231 18.8%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 2.8% $6.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$201 16.4%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 53% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$127 10.4%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 14% $18

Eating Out

Makati

$120 9.7%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 33.9% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.6%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 25.9% $18

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.1%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 1.2% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Makati versus $464 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 1% higher in Makati, 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 $40.00 in Makati versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Makati vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Makati wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

01:18 1:18 AM

00:18 12:18 AM

1 h behind Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

127,240

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makati Chiang Mai 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,842 per month in Makati and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $794 per month in Makati and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Makati – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Makati at $1,228. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,228 in Makati. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.