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 $714 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,062 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,409 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Princesa is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto Princesa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Princesa 48% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 ₱274

$2.08 ฿69.2

110.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.56 ₱1,035

$19.64 ฿651

-15.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ₱276

$5.65 ฿188

-21.95%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ₱149

$1.81 ฿59.9

31.49%

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

$0.91 ₱56.6

$0.71 ฿23.66

28.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.45

$0.32 ฿10.48

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱78.9

$2.24 ฿74.2

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₱148

$3.63 ฿121

-34.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ₱110

$1.96 ฿65.0

-10.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₱62.6

$1.50 ฿49.83

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₱48.65

$1.34 ฿44.32

-41.79%

Eggs

$1.76 ₱110

$2.26 ฿75.1

-22.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₱331

$16.26 ฿539

-67.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 ₱344

$2.95 ฿98.0

86.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱432

$9.94 ฿330

-30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ₱150

$2.57 ฿85.3

-6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.7

$1.06 ฿35.04

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 ₱171

$1.61 ฿53.5

70.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.52 ฿50.4

-24.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱93.1

$1.27 ฿42.14

17.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ₱82.8

$1.07 ฿35.37

23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₱48.94

$0.72 ฿23.89

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱45.21

$0.51 ฿16.87

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱184

$4.19 ฿139

-29.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 ₱439

$17.87 ฿593

-60.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$1.69 ฿56.2

-39.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.3

$2.84 ฿94.1

-54.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.63

$0.93 ฿30.70

-73.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.53 ₱721

$53.9 ฿1,787

-78.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.8

$1.23 ฿40.95

-34.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.90

$0.58 ฿19.13

-62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.42 ฿80.4

-19.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₱65.3

$1.41 ฿46.84

-26.24%

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

$16.9K ₱1.1M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

-21.09%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-27.93%

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

$63.1 ₱3,945

$63.7 ฿2,112

-0.91%

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

$10.88 ₱680

$12.85 ฿426

-15.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.45 ₱1,529

$20.22 ฿671

20.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.25 ₱2,016

$38.74 ฿1,285

-16.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.97 ₱311

$3.97 ฿132

25.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 ₱318

$6.74 ฿223

-24.63%

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

$131 ₱8,214

$778 ฿25.8K

-83.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,903 ₱494.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-45.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.15 ₱2,010

$54.3 ฿1,801

-40.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 ₱1,227

$25.45 ฿844

-22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 ₱4,564

$94.3 ฿3,129

-22.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,461

$73.4 ฿2,436

-24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.1K

$490 ฿16.2K

-41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ₱12.7K

$289 ฿9,596

-29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱32.2K

$894 ฿29.6K

-42.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₱20.0K

$517 ฿17.1K

-38.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,600 ₱162.6K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

32.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,047 ₱65.4K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-29.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 ₱13.8K

$602 ฿20.0K

-63.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.12

5.57

45.78%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Puerto Princesa 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 172% 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 $17.00 in Puerto Princesa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $240 – making Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 33% 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 $1,072 per month in Puerto Princesa and $1,421 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.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Puerto Princesa and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 Princesa, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa costs $714 versus $947 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.