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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $875 per month in Puerto Galera vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,344 per month in Puerto Galera vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,813 per month in Puerto Galera vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Galera costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Puerto Galera and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Galera 35% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 ₱300

$1.96 ฿64.0

148.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.06 ₱1,299

$18.81 ฿615

11.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.01 ₱186

$7.92 ฿259

-61.99%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ₱180

$1.91 ฿62.6

52.88%

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

$0.95 ₱58.3

$0.84 ฿27.41

13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.20

$0.35 ฿11.51

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.3

$2.21 ฿72.1

-42.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₱163

$3.80 ฿124

-30.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₱130

$1.64 ฿53.5

28.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.3

$1.62 ฿53.1

-25.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.0

$1.18 ฿38.62

-9.32%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱125

$2.01 ฿65.8

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 ₱443

$15.89 ฿520

-54.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₱265

$3.01 ฿98.5

42.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 ₱439

$10.77 ฿352

-33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 ₱264

$2.61 ฿85.5

63.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.1

$1.22 ฿39.88

25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱186

$1.70 ฿55.7

77.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₱101

$1.58 ฿51.5

3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 ₱170

$1.32 ฿43.14

108.33%

Onion (1kg)

$4.03 ₱249

$1.17 ฿38.23

244.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 ₱99.5

$0.67 ฿21.98

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₱62.4

$0.56 ฿18.32

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₱195

$4.53 ฿148

-30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 ₱464

$18.20 ฿595

-58.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱95.2

$1.83 ฿60.0

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$3.23 ฿106

-38.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.83

$0.89 ฿29.00

-70.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.4

$1.35 ฿44.20

-39.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.40

$1.35 ฿44.05

-81.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱129

$8.25 ฿270

-74.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.3

$1.27 ฿41.64

-12.60%

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

$26.0K ₱1.6M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

22.81%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-7.73%

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

$164 ₱10.1K

$70.2 ฿2,294

133.31%

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

$33.29 ₱2,053

$13.77 ฿450

141.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.18 ₱1,861

$17.60 ฿575

71.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.45 ₱2,063

$41.57 ฿1,360

-19.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 ₱278

$6.60 ฿216

-31.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱446

$5.78 ฿189

24.91%

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

$82.5 ₱5,088

$306 ฿10.0K

-73.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,769 ₱170.8K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-81.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.81 ₱1,962

$54.4 ฿1,778

-41.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.37 ₱1,812

$26.14 ฿855

12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 ₱5,986

$84.5 ฿2,764

14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 ₱5,869

$69.4 ฿2,270

37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.4K

$424 ฿13.9K

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.0K

$238 ฿7,788

-25.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 ₱36.2K

$825 ฿27.0K

-28.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

-23.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,623 ₱161.8K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

28.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

62.60%

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

Last update for Puerto Galera: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Puerto Galera versus $424 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 $21.00 in Puerto Galera versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Puerto Galera vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Puerto Galera 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

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

Puerto Galera costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,312 per month in Puerto Galera and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $21.00 in Puerto Galera and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Puerto Galera – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $875 in Puerto Galera and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $875 in Puerto Galera. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Galera makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.