Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Zamboanga: $748 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Zamboanga
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Zamboanga Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Zamboanga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$748

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zamboanga and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zamboanga and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $748 per month in Zamboanga vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zamboanga $748
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,123 per month in Zamboanga vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zamboanga $1,123
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,497 per month in Zamboanga vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zamboanga $1,497
Chiang Mai $1,903

Zamboanga is about 19% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zamboanga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zamboanga 45% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.33 ₱83.5

$2.29 ฿76.5

-41.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.41 ₱1,033

$19.64 ฿656

-16.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 ₱220

$5.61 ฿188

-37.61%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ₱132

$1.66 ฿55.6

25.90%

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

$0.86 ₱54.0

$0.70 ฿23.40

22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.88

$0.31 ฿10.24

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱90.8

$2.41 ฿80.4

-40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$3.71 ฿124

-44.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.95 ฿65.3

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.0

$1.41 ฿47.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$1.31 ฿43.62

-11.45%

Eggs

$1.46 ₱91.7

$2.18 ฿72.9

-33.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 ₱630

$16.65 ฿556

-39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ₱255

$2.76 ฿92.2

46.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.33 ₱209

$9.11 ฿304

-63.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 ₱200

$2.39 ฿80.0

32.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ₱74.1

$1.03 ฿34.26

14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 ₱241

$1.63 ฿54.4

134.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱73.1

$1.50 ฿50.0

-22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ₱79.6

$1.29 ฿43.13

-2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ₱161

$1.11 ฿37.03

130.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₱54.4

$0.72 ฿24.08

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.39

$0.53 ฿17.59

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₱172

$4.31 ฿144

-36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.23 ₱266

$17.95 ฿600

-76.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱82.1

$1.58 ฿52.9

-17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱124

$2.84 ฿95.0

-30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.88

$0.86 ฿28.86

-74.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.19 ₱704

$53.3 ฿1,780

-79.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.9

$1.21 ฿40.29

-32.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.57 ฿18.99

-59.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$2.35 ฿78.6

-20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₱64.4

$1.44 ฿47.96

-29.17%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$20.7K ฿692.8K

4.86%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-27.49%

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

$124 ₱7,826

$62.3 ฿2,083

99.42%

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

$15.48 ₱975

$12.11 ฿405

27.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.25 ₱2,975

$19.94 ฿666

136.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.74 ₱2,250

$37.07 ฿1,239

-3.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.67 ₱294

$3.78 ฿126

23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ₱319

$6.50 ฿217

-22.00%

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

$133 ₱8,372

$793 ฿26.5K

-83.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,082 ₱508.9K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-45.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 ₱2,073

$53.7 ฿1,796

-38.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 ₱1,215

$24.62 ฿823

-21.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 ₱4,457

$90.9 ฿3,036

-22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₱3,505

$71.1 ฿2,378

-21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.8K

$455 ฿15.2K

-41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱11.0K

$298 ฿9,954

-41.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ₱20.9K

$908 ฿30.4K

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₱22.6K

$554 ฿18.5K

-35.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱149.0K

$1,931 ฿64.5K

22.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$998 ₱62.9K

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-30.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$193 ₱12.2K

$591 ฿19.7K

-67.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.57

21.90%

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

Last update for Zamboanga: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zamboanga

$187 25%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 49.5% $93

Groceries & Markets

Zamboanga

$184 24.6%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 28.1% $52

Accommodation & Living

Zamboanga

$175 23.3%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 70.5% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Zamboanga

$80 10.7%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 34.5% $28

Eating Out

Zamboanga

$62 8.4%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 25.8% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Zamboanga

$46 6.1%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 9.1% $4.2

Getting Around

Zamboanga

$14 1.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 333% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Zamboanga versus $455 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 206% 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 $16.00 in Zamboanga versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $235 – making Zamboanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Zamboanga

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

18:53 6:53 PM

17:53 5:53 PM

1 h behind Zamboanga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zamboanga Chiang Mai 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Zamboanga
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Zamboanga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,123 per month in Zamboanga and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Zamboanga and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $748, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Zamboanga 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. Zamboanga costs $748 versus $925 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 Zamboanga. 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.