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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $772 per month in Palawan vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Palawan vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Palawan vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Palawan is about 11% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Palawan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Palawan 43% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱217

$1.98 ฿64.3

80.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.89 ₱1,208

$18.80 ฿612

5.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 ₱207

$7.75 ฿252

-56.13%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱155

$1.92 ฿62.5

33.33%

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

$0.82 ₱49.64

$0.79 ฿25.79

3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.07

$0.36 ฿11.62

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱79.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱132

$3.66 ฿119

-40.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱116

$1.65 ฿53.8

15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱73.8

$1.63 ฿53.2

-25.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱58.2

$1.19 ฿38.86

-19.33%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱121

$2.00 ฿65.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 ₱483

$15.98 ฿520

-50.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱252

$3.03 ฿98.5

37.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ₱482

$10.86 ฿354

-26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ₱179

$2.76 ฿90.0

6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱94.2

$1.18 ฿38.42

31.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 ₱162

$1.64 ฿53.5

62.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱94.1

$1.52 ฿49.51

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱134

$1.38 ฿45.10

59.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ₱158

$1.19 ฿38.84

119.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.1

$0.70 ฿22.86

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱45.92

$0.56 ฿18.13

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 ₱169

$4.58 ฿149

-39.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 ₱423

$16.56 ฿539

-57.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱73.3

$1.83 ฿59.5

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱125

$3.20 ฿104

-35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.20

$0.88 ฿28.56

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱49.81

$1.36 ฿44.16

-39.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.61

$1.34 ฿43.65

-82.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱126

$7.84 ฿256

-73.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.2

$1.23 ฿39.92

-9.76%

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

$26.3K ₱1.6M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

21.56%

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

$20.6K ₱1.2M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-8.70%

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

$112 ₱6,790

$70.5 ฿2,298

58.53%

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

$33.13 ₱2,011

$13.68 ฿445

142.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.30 ₱1,657

$17.45 ฿568

56.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.70 ₱2,046

$41.33 ฿1,346

-18.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 ₱268

$6.96 ฿227

-36.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ₱365

$5.77 ฿188

4.16%

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

$154 ₱9,365

$307 ฿10.0K

-49.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,299 ₱261.0K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-70.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.59 ₱2,768

$55.8 ฿1,817

-18.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.40 ₱1,603

$26.21 ฿854

0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ₱4,504

$85.8 ฿2,793

-13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 ₱3,201

$72.2 ฿2,353

-27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.0K

$430 ฿14.0K

-38.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.5K

$239 ฿7,774

-27.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₱36.1K

$817 ฿26.6K

-27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

-24.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,314 ₱140.5K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

16.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$961 ₱58.3K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-35.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Palawan: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Palawan versus $430 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 $20.00 in Palawan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Palawan vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Palawan 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Palawan, 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 $1,157 per month in Palawan and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, 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 $20.00 in Palawan 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 18% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $772 in Palawan and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palawan costs $772 versus $869 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 Palawan. 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.