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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $809 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,550 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Princesa is about 7% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto Princesa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Princesa 40% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱253

$1.94 ฿63.5

111.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.71 ₱1,647

$18.64 ฿609

43.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 ₱263

$7.82 ฿255

-45.40%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱152

$1.95 ฿63.8

26.15%

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

$0.68 ₱41.75

$0.85 ฿27.77

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.46

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱77.5

$2.13 ฿69.6

-40.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$3.73 ฿122

-53.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.71 ฿56.0

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-28.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₱51.8

$1.14 ฿37.15

-26.32%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱116

$1.93 ฿63.1

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ₱544

$16.21 ฿530

-45.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 ₱310

$3.12 ฿102

61.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ₱384

$10.90 ฿356

-42.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 ₱216

$2.75 ฿90.0

27.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$1.21 ฿39.52

-23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 ₱214

$1.62 ฿53.0

114.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.6

$1.59 ฿51.8

-43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.40 ฿45.70

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₱84.4

$1.17 ฿38.17

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₱64.6

$0.66 ฿21.60

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₱45.28

$0.53 ฿17.22

37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱182

$4.69 ฿153

-37.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ₱443

$18.66 ฿609

-61.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱111

$3.23 ฿106

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.47

$0.90 ฿29.26

-68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.41 ฿45.91

28.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$1.29 ฿42.12

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$7.84 ฿256

-73.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$14.4K ₱890.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-32.12%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-8.05%

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

$122 ₱7,495

$69.1 ฿2,256

75.97%

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

$13.69 ₱844

$14.08 ฿460

-2.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.56 ₱2,131

$18.00 ฿588

92.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.23 ₱1,618

$41.06 ฿1,341

-36.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

$6.96 ฿227

-37.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 ₱327

$5.92 ฿193

-10.47%

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

$62.5 ₱3,856

$299 ฿9,766

-79.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,255 ₱262.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-71.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 ₱2,793

$54.7 ฿1,787

-17.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.63 ₱1,642

$26.77 ฿874

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,640

$85.0 ฿2,776

-11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₱3,222

$70.6 ฿2,306

-25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 ₱18.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₱14.0K

$237 ฿7,752

-4.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₱27.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-45.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

-39.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ₱149.1K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

22.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₱59.8K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-34.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 ₱13.7K

$617 ฿20.2K

-63.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

65.00%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $291 in Puerto Princesa versus $428 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 177% 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 $27.00 in Puerto Princesa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Puerto Princesa vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Puerto Princesa, 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 $1,214 per month in Puerto Princesa and $1,300 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 Princesa, 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 $27.00 in Puerto Princesa 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 27% 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 $809 in Puerto Princesa and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Puerto Princesa costs $809 versus $866 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 Princesa. 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.