Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,069 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,472 per month in Nueva Ecija vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nueva Ecija is about 22% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nueva Ecija and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nueva Ecija 50% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 ₱265

$2.04 ฿68.4

111.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.76 ₱2,134

$18.71 ฿626

85.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 ₱206

$7.86 ฿263

-57.38%

Cappuccino

$1.38 ₱84.8

$2.03 ฿67.9

-32.02%

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

$0.81 ₱49.92

$0.80 ฿26.71

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.51

$0.35 ฿11.71

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₱52.6

$2.14 ฿71.7

-59.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱140

$3.67 ฿123

-37.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.01 ₱185

$1.73 ฿57.8

73.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.57 ฿52.5

-36.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱58.5

$1.20 ฿40.10

-20.83%

Eggs

$1.73 ₱106

$1.97 ฿66.0

-12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ₱479

$16.23 ฿543

-51.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₱232

$3.06 ฿102

23.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ₱401

$10.80 ฿361

-39.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 ₱255

$2.77 ฿92.6

49.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$1.17 ฿39.05

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₱118

$1.71 ฿57.1

12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 ₱113

$1.59 ฿53.3

16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 ₱103

$1.39 ฿46.63

20.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₱135

$1.16 ฿38.67

89.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 ₱141

$0.66 ฿22.11

248.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱29.33

$0.52 ฿17.35

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 ₱155

$4.65 ฿155

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 ₱269

$17.78 ฿595

-75.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱85.7

$1.79 ฿59.8

-21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₱155

$3.34 ฿112

-24.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₱18.14

$0.91 ฿30.35

-67.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.25 ₱384

$18.64 ฿624

-66.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.15

$1.41 ฿47.17

-44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.45

$1.34 ฿44.82

-83.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₱69.9

$8.11 ฿271

-85.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₱59.0

$1.23 ฿41.27

-21.95%

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

$17.4K ₱1.1M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

-18.62%

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

$23.5K ₱1.4M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

7.64%

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

$88.3 ₱5,420

$71.3 ฿2,386

23.75%

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

$32.28 ₱1,982

$14.01 ฿469

130.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.60 ₱1,265

$17.93 ฿600

14.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.66 ₱2,067

$40.82 ฿1,365

-17.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱277

$6.88 ฿230

-34.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 ₱306

$5.72 ฿191

-12.76%

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

$150 ₱9,189

$308 ฿10.3K

-51.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,361 ₱267.8K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-70.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 ₱2,799

$55.8 ฿1,865

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.41 ₱2,113

$26.04 ฿871

32.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ₱4,227

$84.8 ฿2,837

-18.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₱6,942

$71.0 ฿2,375

59.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 ₱7,971

$423 ฿14.2K

-69.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 ₱4,693

$242 ฿8,110

-68.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 ₱11.8K

$797 ฿26.7K

-75.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,720

$507 ฿17.0K

-71.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,427 ₱149.0K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

26.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 ₱52.4K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-41.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 ₱12.0K

$595 ฿19.9K

-67.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

23.40%

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

Last update for Nueva Ecija: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Nueva Ecija versus $423 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 204% 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 $35.00 in Nueva Ecija versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Nueva Ecija vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Nueva Ecija wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nueva Ecija vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Nueva Ecija, 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 $999 per month in Nueva Ecija and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Nueva Ecija and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $666 in Nueva Ecija and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nueva Ecija costs $666 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 Nueva Ecija. 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.