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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $634 per month in Tuguegarao vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,010 per month in Tuguegarao vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,387 per month in Tuguegarao vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Tuguegarao and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tuguegarao 52% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 ₱104

$1.96 ฿63.6

-11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.52 ₱814

$18.39 ฿598

-26.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱164

$7.87 ฿256

-65.44%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱143

$1.95 ฿63.4

21.54%

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

$0.49 ₱29.22

$0.85 ฿27.57

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.17

$0.32 ฿10.52

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ₱87.8

$2.14 ฿69.6

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱118

$3.68 ฿120

-46.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱115

$1.66 ฿53.9

15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱72.9

$1.56 ฿50.7

-22.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₱50.1

$1.19 ฿38.63

-30.25%

Eggs

$2.27 ₱137

$1.99 ฿64.7

14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 ₱387

$16.24 ฿528

-60.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 ₱227

$3.17 ฿103

18.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 ₱505

$10.84 ฿352

-22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₱161

$2.65 ฿86.2

1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₱107

$1.22 ฿39.67

45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱142

$1.65 ฿53.7

43.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₱72.7

$1.55 ฿50.3

-21.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ₱113

$1.33 ฿43.17

41.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ₱139

$1.21 ฿39.43

91.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱40.55

$0.68 ฿22.04

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱45.78

$0.57 ฿18.38

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₱127

$4.68 ฿152

-54.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.01 ₱543

$16.99 ฿552

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱62.1

$1.82 ฿59.3

-43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱141

$3.18 ฿103

-26.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱16.95

$0.91 ฿29.46

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱51.3

$1.41 ฿45.80

-39.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.19

$1.34 ฿43.52

-83.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₱145

$8.14 ฿265

-70.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱66.7

$1.28 ฿41.53

-13.28%

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

$32.4K ₱2.0M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

48.41%

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

$20.6K ₱1.2M

$22.4K ฿728.0K

-7.97%

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

$35.53 ₱2,140

$70.5 ฿2,291

-49.59%

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

$17.54 ₱1,056

$14.05 ฿457

24.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.81 ₱1,555

$17.65 ฿574

46.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.44 ₱2,014

$41.29 ฿1,342

-19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.51 ₱272

$6.76 ฿220

-33.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₱354

$5.96 ฿194

-1.34%

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

$152 ₱9,128

$303 ฿9,846

-49.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,637 ₱279.3K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-69.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 ₱2,958

$54.7 ฿1,778

-10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 ₱1,664

$26.29 ฿854

5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.01 ₱2,651

$85.8 ฿2,788

-48.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.17 ₱1,576

$69.7 ฿2,265

-62.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.3K

$428 ฿13.9K

-36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.7K

$239 ฿7,769

-25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₱35.9K

$811 ฿26.4K

-26.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.4K

$510 ฿16.6K

-23.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 ₱12.9K

$623 ฿20.2K

-65.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Tuguegarao: June 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Tuguegarao 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 190% 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 $14.00 in Tuguegarao versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $242 – making Tuguegarao 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Tuguegarao, 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 $951 per month in Tuguegarao and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuguegarao, 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 $14.00 in Tuguegarao and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $634 in Tuguegarao and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tuguegarao costs $634 versus $848 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 Tuguegarao. 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.