Cost of Living Comparison Between Siargao and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Siargao and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Siargao vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,248 per month in Siargao vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,693 per month in Siargao vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Siargao is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Siargao and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Siargao 41% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 ₱229

$2.08 ฿69.5

75.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.43 ₱1,218

$19.61 ฿655

-0.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 ₱206

$5.67 ฿189

-42.15%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₱166

$1.81 ฿60.3

45.86%

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

$0.76 ₱47.94

$0.77 ฿25.65

-1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.90

$0.35 ฿11.53

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ₱80.7

$2.21 ฿73.9

-41.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$3.79 ฿127

-42.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₱114

$2.05 ฿68.4

-11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱79.5

$1.51 ฿50.6

-15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.4

$1.40 ฿46.69

-26.43%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱130

$2.26 ฿75.4

-8.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 ₱504

$16.19 ฿540

-50.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ₱260

$2.90 ฿96.7

42.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 ₱472

$9.42 ฿314

-20.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ₱179

$2.68 ฿89.4

6.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱95.0

$1.09 ฿36.37

39.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱171

$1.62 ฿54.0

67.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.5

$1.46 ฿48.74

6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 ₱139

$1.28 ฿42.65

72.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$1.06 ฿35.31

147.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.72 ฿23.94

54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱47.90

$0.53 ฿17.56

43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱183

$4.23 ฿141

-30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 ₱439

$18.29 ฿611

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱76.0

$1.63 ฿54.4

-25.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.90 ฿96.8

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.18

$0.88 ฿29.32

-70.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 ₱722

$53.8 ฿1,795

-78.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$1.17 ฿39.14

-29.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.73

$0.58 ฿19.30

-62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱135

$2.39 ฿79.6

-10.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱69.2

$1.45 ฿48.41

-24.14%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

24.81%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-21.37%

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

$111 ₱6,966

$63.7 ฿2,125

74.49%

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

$33.42 ₱2,096

$12.89 ฿430

159.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.75 ₱1,741

$20.52 ฿685

35.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.34 ₱2,091

$39.02 ฿1,302

-14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.37 ₱274

$3.92 ฿131

11.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 ₱362

$6.58 ฿220

-12.46%

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

$154 ₱9,688

$784 ฿26.2K

-80.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,282 ₱268.6K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-70.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.52 ₱2,918

$55.1 ฿1,840

-15.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.88 ₱1,686

$24.74 ฿826

8.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ₱4,664

$94.1 ฿3,142

-20.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 ₱3,286

$74.0 ฿2,469

-29.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.5K

$490 ฿16.4K

-46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.2K

$288 ฿9,620

-38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₱36.2K

$891 ฿29.8K

-35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱24.6K

$521 ฿17.4K

-24.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,350 ₱147.4K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

19.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,028 ₱64.5K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-28.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.57

19.75%

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

Last update for Siargao: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Siargao 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Siargao versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $241 – making Siargao 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Siargao, 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 $1,204 per month in Siargao and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $154 per month in Siargao and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 Siargao, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Siargao 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. Siargao costs $802 versus $932 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 Siargao. 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.