Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $851 per month in Mandaluyong vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,297 per month in Mandaluyong vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,744 per month in Mandaluyong vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mandaluyong is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mandaluyong and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mandaluyong 36% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 ₱324

$1.94 ฿63.5

170.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.68 ₱1,090

$18.64 ฿609

-5.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.29 ₱203

$7.82 ฿255

-57.93%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$1.95 ฿63.8

20.51%

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

$0.92 ₱57.0

$0.85 ฿27.77

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.92

$0.35 ฿11.58

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₱95.4

$2.13 ฿69.6

-27.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₱166

$3.73 ฿122

-27.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱113

$1.71 ฿56.0

7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.63 ฿53.2

-17.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.14 ฿37.15

-3.51%

Eggs

$2.17 ₱134

$1.93 ฿63.1

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₱551

$16.21 ฿530

-44.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 ₱317

$3.12 ฿102

65.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 ₱533

$10.90 ฿356

-20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$2.75 ฿90.0

23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₱114

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 ₱216

$1.62 ฿53.0

116.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 ₱147

$1.59 ฿51.8

49.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$1.40 ฿45.70

92.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 ₱191

$1.17 ฿38.17

164.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱41.55

$0.66 ฿21.60

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.55

$0.53 ฿17.22

20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$4.69 ฿153

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 ₱540

$18.66 ฿609

-53.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱89.0

$1.80 ฿58.8

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$3.23 ฿106

-33.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₱20.88

$0.90 ฿29.26

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱52.6

$1.41 ฿45.91

-39.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.35

$1.29 ฿42.12

-80.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$7.84 ฿256

-73.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.4

$1.27 ฿41.58

-10.24%

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

$26.9K ₱1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

26.59%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-8.77%

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

$138 ₱8,497

$69.1 ฿2,256

99.51%

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

$34.72 ₱2,141

$14.08 ฿460

146.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.60 ₱1,640

$18.00 ฿588

47.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 ₱2,085

$41.06 ฿1,341

-17.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱279

$6.96 ฿227

-35.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 ₱421

$5.92 ฿193

15.37%

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

$150 ₱9,277

$299 ฿9,766

-49.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,814 ₱296.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-67.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.69 ₱2,879

$54.7 ฿1,787

-14.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 ₱2,194

$26.77 ฿874

32.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,724

$85.0 ฿2,776

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.18 ₱2,909

$70.6 ฿2,306

-33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱32.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.1K

$237 ฿7,752

-24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱36.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱24.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

-24.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,834 ₱174.7K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

43.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ₱36.4K

$617 ฿20.2K

-4.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Mandaluyong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Mandaluyong versus $428 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 5% 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 $18.00 in Mandaluyong versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $246 – making Mandaluyong 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Mandaluyong, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,276 per month in Mandaluyong and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandaluyong, 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 $18.00 in Mandaluyong 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 7% 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 Mandaluyong, where all-in costs run around $851, than in Chiang Mai at $866. In Mandaluyong 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. Mandaluyong costs $851 versus $866 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 Mandaluyong. 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.