Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Galera and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Galera and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $838 per month in Puerto Galera vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,253 per month in Puerto Galera vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,669 per month in Puerto Galera vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Galera is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Puerto Galera and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Galera 39% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$2.11 ฿69.1

108.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 ₱1,204

$19.75 ฿648

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.81 ₱173

$5.85 ฿192

-51.97%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ₱171

$1.76 ฿57.8

57.95%

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

$0.72 ₱44.16

$0.74 ฿24.37

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.04

$0.33 ฿10.90

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ₱87.8

$2.47 ฿81.0

-42.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₱176

$3.88 ฿127

-26.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱104

$1.90 ฿62.4

-11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.67 ฿54.7

-30.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₱53.0

$1.35 ฿44.24

-36.30%

Eggs

$1.77 ₱109

$2.14 ฿70.2

-17.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₱424

$15.89 ฿521

-56.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 ₱269

$2.83 ฿92.9

54.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 ₱447

$10.53 ฿345

-31.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 ₱245

$2.38 ฿78.2

66.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱90.7

$1.07 ฿35.01

37.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₱217

$1.52 ฿49.79

131.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.50 ฿49.30

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱142

$1.28 ฿41.96

80.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 ₱215

$1.10 ฿36.17

217.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ₱90.3

$0.69 ฿22.54

111.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$0.49 ฿16.18

87.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 ₱170

$4.27 ฿140

-35.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱484

$16.78 ฿550

-53.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱80.9

$1.66 ฿54.4

-21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱115

$2.81 ฿92.3

-33.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.77

$0.90 ฿29.44

-71.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 ₱730

$54.9 ฿1,801

-78.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.36

$1.20 ฿39.24

-35.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$0.54 ฿17.78

-59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 ₱162

$2.37 ฿77.9

10.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.3

$1.43 ฿46.88

-18.88%

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

$21.6K ₱1.3M

$21.1K ฿691.5K

2.56%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-28.72%

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

$166 ₱10.2K

$64.7 ฿2,124

156.13%

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

$14.80 ₱913

$13.19 ฿433

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 ₱1,568

$19.44 ฿638

30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.29 ₱1,867

$39.45 ฿1,294

-23.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱275

$3.77 ฿124

18.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ₱462

$6.62 ฿217

13.29%

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

$75.1 ₱4,632

$805 ฿26.4K

-90.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,544 ₱156.8K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-83.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 ₱2,281

$54.8 ฿1,796

-32.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.81 ₱1,406

$25.43 ฿834

-10.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 ₱5,004

$91.9 ฿3,015

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ₱4,752

$74.7 ฿2,449

3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 ₱15.8K

$467 ฿15.3K

-45.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₱9,800

$282 ฿9,251

-43.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.0K

$891 ฿29.2K

-43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 ₱20.8K

$521 ฿17.1K

-35.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,574 ₱158.7K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

29.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$964 ₱59.4K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-34.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

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 Puerto Galera: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Puerto Galera versus $467 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 Puerto Galera versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $237 – making Puerto Galera 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

Puerto Galera vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Puerto Galera, 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 $1,256 per month in Puerto Galera and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $75.1 per month in Puerto Galera and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Galera, where all-in costs run around $838, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Puerto Galera 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. Puerto Galera costs $838 versus $920 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 Puerto Galera. 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.