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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $745 per month in Zamboanga vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,076 per month in Zamboanga vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,408 per month in Zamboanga vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zamboanga is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Zamboanga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zamboanga 44% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₱95.5

$1.94 ฿63.5

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.47 ₱584

$18.64 ฿609

-49.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱168

$7.82 ฿255

-65.09%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₱111

$1.95 ฿63.8

-7.18%

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

$0.91 ₱56.0

$0.85 ฿27.77

7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.84

$0.35 ฿11.58

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱75.5

$2.13 ฿69.6

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱101

$3.73 ฿122

-56.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱120

$1.71 ฿56.0

13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ₱101

$1.63 ฿53.2

1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ₱79.2

$1.14 ฿37.15

12.28%

Eggs

$1.66 ₱102

$1.93 ฿63.1

-13.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 ₱692

$16.21 ฿530

-30.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 ₱278

$3.12 ฿102

44.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$10.90 ฿356

-67.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ₱208

$2.75 ฿90.0

22.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ₱81.2

$1.21 ฿39.52

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₱260

$1.62 ฿53.0

160.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 ₱166

$1.59 ฿51.8

68.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ₱85.0

$1.40 ฿45.70

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$1.17 ฿38.17

135.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₱55.3

$0.66 ฿21.60

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.90

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱185

$4.69 ฿153

-36.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 ₱270

$18.66 ฿609

-76.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₱90.4

$1.80 ฿58.8

-18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₱134

$3.23 ฿106

-32.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.85

$0.90 ฿29.26

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₱57.5

$1.41 ฿45.91

-34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.56

$1.29 ฿42.12

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$7.84 ฿256

-73.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₱75.0

$1.27 ฿41.58

-3.94%

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

$26.9K ₱1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

26.35%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-6.85%

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

$167 ₱10.3K

$69.1 ฿2,256

141.44%

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

$48.00 ₱2,960

$14.08 ฿460

240.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 ₱3,254

$18.00 ฿588

193.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.54 ₱2,438

$41.06 ฿1,341

-3.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.31 ₱266

$6.96 ฿227

-38.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱429

$5.92 ฿193

17.40%

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

$53.2 ₱3,283

$299 ฿9,766

-82.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 ₱75.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-91.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.61 ₱1,517

$54.7 ฿1,787

-55.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.58 ₱1,639

$26.77 ฿874

-0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 ₱5,458

$85.0 ฿2,776

4.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 ₱3,808

$70.6 ฿2,306

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₱8,603

$428 ฿14.0K

-67.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.1 ₱4,384

$237 ฿7,752

-70.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₱22.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

-53.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 ₱8,818

$515 ฿16.8K

-72.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,275 ₱140.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

15.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,099 ₱67.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-25.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$193 ₱11.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-68.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

140.00%

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

Last update for Zamboanga: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Zamboanga 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 219% 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 $9.00 in Zamboanga versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $246 – making Zamboanga 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Zamboanga, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,117 per month in Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga, 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 $9.00 in Zamboanga 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 17% 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 $745 in Zamboanga and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zamboanga costs $745 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 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.