Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasay and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Pasay: $898 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $460 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

43

Cost of Living Index in Pasay
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Pasay Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Pasay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$898

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $898 per month in Pasay vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pasay $898
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Pasay vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pasay $1,224
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,551 per month in Pasay vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pasay $1,551
Chiang Mai $1,979

Pasay is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Pasay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pasay 34% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱280

$2.24 ฿75.6

95.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.79 ₱1,197

$19.00 ฿641

-1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.79 ₱178

$5.55 ฿187

-49.73%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₱135

$1.67 ฿56.5

26.95%

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

$0.59 ₱37.36

$0.64 ฿21.54

-7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.24

$0.31 ฿10.31

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₱73.5

$2.36 ฿79.5

-51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱98.0

$3.66 ฿124

-57.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱104

$1.95 ฿65.7

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱74.1

$1.44 ฿48.46

-19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.1

$1.33 ฿45.03

-23.31%

Eggs

$1.83 ₱117

$2.28 ฿77.1

-19.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 ₱316

$16.45 ฿555

-69.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 ₱270

$2.78 ฿93.9

52.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 ₱435

$9.31 ฿314

-26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱140

$2.35 ฿79.4

-6.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₱99.5

$0.97 ฿32.79

60.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱149

$1.60 ฿53.9

46.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ₱70.6

$1.50 ฿50.6

-26.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 ₱148

$1.28 ฿43.11

82.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 ₱208

$1.10 ฿37.18

197.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱78.2

$0.71 ฿23.82

73.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₱54.2

$0.49 ฿16.36

73.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₱188

$4.14 ฿140

-28.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 ₱482

$17.52 ฿591

-56.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₱56.1

$1.61 ฿54.5

-45.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱110

$2.78 ฿93.9

-37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.46

$0.87 ฿29.30

-77.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₱51.2

$1.16 ฿39.04

-31.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.37

$0.53 ฿17.80

-60.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱120

$2.42 ฿81.7

-21.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₱78.4

$1.45 ฿48.88

-15.17%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$21.1K ฿710.5K

-2.14%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$26.9K ฿909.0K

-28.59%

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

$139 ₱8,867

$62.2 ฿2,098

123.82%

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

$14.40 ₱918

$12.17 ฿411

18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 ₱1,531

$20.12 ฿679

19.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.26 ₱3,011

$37.31 ฿1,259

26.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 ₱318

$6.49 ฿219

-23.11%

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

$70.6 ₱4,499

$736 ฿24.8K

-90.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,430 ₱154.9K

$14.8K ฿498.2K

-83.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.90 ₱2,224

$53.4 ฿1,801

-34.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.11 ₱1,218

$24.64 ฿831

-22.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 ₱4,475

$91.5 ฿3,087

-23.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.5 ₱3,985

$71.9 ฿2,427

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ₱27.2K

$482 ฿16.3K

-11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₱19.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

1.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ₱52.7K

$1,006 ฿33.9K

-17.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₱23.3K

$633 ฿21.4K

-42.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ₱118.8K

$2,363 ฿79.7K

-21.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 ₱36.1K

$1,589 ฿53.6K

-64.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 ₱32.6K

$590 ฿19.9K

-13.17%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pasay

$312 34.8%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 1.1% $3.4

Groceries & Markets

Pasay

$183 20.4%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 28.3% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pasay

$178 19.8%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 46.8% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Pasay

$84 9.4%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 29.3% $25

Eating Out

Pasay

$81 9.1%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 4.7% $3.9

Sport & Entertainment

Pasay

$57 6.4%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 12.2% $7

Getting Around

Pasay

$2.6 * 0.3%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 2233% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Pasay versus $482 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 15% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Pasay versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $234 – making Pasay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Pasay

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

00:28 12:28 AM

23:28 11:28 PM

1 h behind Pasay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

416,522

127,240

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 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 November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 63.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.15 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pasay Chiang Mai 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Pasay
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Pasay, 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 $1,347 per month in Pasay and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $427 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $898 in Pasay and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Pasay about 4% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $898 in Pasay and $936 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pasay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Pasay. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.