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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Pasay vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Pasay vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,592 per month in Pasay vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pasay is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pasay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pasay 33% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ₱278

$2.08 ฿69.5

113.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.04 ₱1,194

$19.61 ฿655

-2.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.84 ₱178

$5.67 ฿189

-49.91%

Cappuccino

$2.23 ₱140

$1.81 ฿60.3

23.20%

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

$0.63 ₱39.26

$0.77 ฿25.65

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.24

$0.35 ฿11.53

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ₱76.1

$2.21 ฿73.9

-45.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₱99.0

$3.79 ฿127

-58.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ₱108

$2.05 ฿68.4

-16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.2

$1.51 ฿50.6

-22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.6

$1.40 ฿46.69

-27.86%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

$2.26 ฿75.4

-13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.15 ₱323

$16.19 ฿540

-68.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₱269

$2.90 ฿96.7

47.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 ₱456

$9.42 ฿314

-22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱143

$2.68 ฿89.4

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.7

$1.09 ฿36.37

41.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱147

$1.62 ฿54.0

45.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.3

$1.46 ฿48.74

-19.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$1.28 ฿42.65

85.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₱209

$1.06 ฿35.31

214.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$0.72 ฿23.94

73.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱55.6

$0.53 ฿17.56

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₱186

$4.23 ฿141

-29.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 ₱485

$18.29 ฿611

-57.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱61.0

$1.63 ฿54.4

-40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₱114

$2.90 ฿96.8

-37.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₱11.64

$0.88 ฿29.32

-78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.52

$1.17 ฿39.14

-35.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.12

$0.58 ฿19.30

-63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$2.39 ฿79.6

-17.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.2

$1.45 ฿48.41

-18.62%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

0.73%

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

$18.6K ₱1.2M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-29.62%

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

$139 ₱8,713

$63.7 ฿2,125

118.26%

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

$14.20 ₱890

$12.89 ฿430

10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.46 ₱1,597

$20.52 ฿685

24.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.18 ₱2,959

$39.02 ฿1,302

20.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 ₱326

$6.58 ฿220

-20.97%

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

$73.4 ₱4,603

$784 ฿26.2K

-90.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 ₱159.7K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-82.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.19 ₱2,270

$55.1 ฿1,840

-34.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.34 ₱1,213

$24.74 ฿826

-21.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 ₱4,397

$94.1 ฿3,142

-25.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 ₱4,033

$74.0 ฿2,469

-13.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ₱27.1K

$490 ฿16.4K

-11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₱19.7K

$288 ฿9,620

9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₱51.5K

$891 ฿29.8K

-7.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱22.6K

$521 ฿17.4K

-30.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,840 ₱115.4K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-6.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 ₱35.8K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-60.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 ₱32.0K

$602 ฿20.1K

-15.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.67%

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

Last update for Pasay: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Pasay versus $490 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 18% 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 $19.00 in Pasay versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $241 – making Pasay 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,375 per month in Pasay and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasay, 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 $19.00 in Pasay and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 Pasay, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Pasay 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. Pasay costs $917 versus $932 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 Pasay. 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.