Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaybalay and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Malaybalay: $756 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Malaybalay
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Malaybalay Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Malaybalay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$756

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $756 per month in Malaybalay vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malaybalay $756
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,182 per month in Malaybalay vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malaybalay $1,182
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,607 per month in Malaybalay vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malaybalay $1,607
Chiang Mai $1,914

Malaybalay is about 19% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Malaybalay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Malaybalay 44% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 ₱308

$2.26 ฿75.4

116.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.45 ₱1,035

$19.18 ฿641

-14.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₱221

$5.59 ฿187

-37.21%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱137

$1.72 ฿57.6

26.74%

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

$0.49 ₱31.14

$0.64 ฿21.54

-23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.93

$0.33 ฿11.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱71.2

$2.36 ฿78.7

-52.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₱121

$3.90 ฿130

-50.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₱127

$2.05 ฿68.6

-1.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ₱71.2

$1.40 ฿46.70

-19.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱55.2

$1.28 ฿42.89

-31.25%

Eggs

$1.87 ₱118

$2.25 ฿75.3

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 ₱404

$16.94 ฿566

-62.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 ₱307

$2.74 ฿91.6

77.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 ₱570

$9.36 ฿313

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ₱175

$2.40 ฿80.3

15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.01 ฿33.92

5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱150

$1.61 ฿53.9

48.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$1.52 ฿50.7

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.28 ฿42.90

53.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ₱213

$1.11 ฿37.22

205.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₱75.3

$0.72 ฿24.09

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.82

$0.52 ฿17.54

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₱156

$4.33 ฿145

-42.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 ₱489

$17.73 ฿593

-56.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.1

$1.63 ฿54.4

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₱102

$2.85 ฿95.3

-43.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.60

$0.85 ฿28.31

-74.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.70 ₱674

$53.9 ฿1,801

-80.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱52.9

$1.17 ฿39.18

-28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.40

$0.57 ฿19.00

-59.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱119

$2.37 ฿79.2

-19.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.2

$1.45 ฿48.32

-12.41%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

5.42%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-28.42%

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

$109 ₱6,856

$62.3 ฿2,083

74.72%

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

$19.33 ₱1,217

$12.27 ฿410

57.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 ₱1,962

$19.97 ฿668

56.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.01 ₱1,890

$37.91 ฿1,267

-20.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.18 ₱263

$3.76 ฿126

11.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₱306

$6.71 ฿224

-27.57%

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

$106 ₱6,689

$797 ฿26.6K

-86.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,589 ₱477.8K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-48.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.02 ₱2,079

$53.3 ฿1,780

-37.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 ₱1,216

$25.05 ฿837

-22.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 ₱4,451

$91.6 ฿3,062

-22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 ₱3,821

$73.5 ฿2,455

-17.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 ₱17.5K

$464 ฿15.5K

-39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.9K

$305 ฿10.2K

-43.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₱27.8K

$915 ฿30.6K

-51.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱25.4K

$552 ฿18.5K

-26.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,200 ₱138.5K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

15.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 ₱63.4K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-30.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

5.57

49.19%

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

Last update for Malaybalay: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Malaybalay

$199 26.4%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 19.4% $39

Accommodation & Living

Malaybalay

$173 22.8%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 76.5% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Malaybalay

$159 21.1%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 40.7% $65

Eating Out

Malaybalay

$89 11.7%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 10.8% $9.6

Clothing & Footwear

Malaybalay

$83 10.9%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 32.5% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Malaybalay

$40 5.3%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 29.2% $12

Getting Around

Malaybalay

$14 1.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 353% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Malaybalay 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Malaybalay versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $238 – making Malaybalay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Malaybalay

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

02:18 2:18 AM

01:18 1:18 AM

1 h behind Malaybalay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

190,712

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 19, 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 19, 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

Malaybalay Chiang Mai 3,060 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Malaybalay
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Malaybalay, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,134 per month in Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Malaybalay and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malaybalay, where all-in costs run around $756, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Malaybalay 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. Malaybalay costs $756 versus $938 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 Malaybalay. 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.