Cebu vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Cebu (Philippines) · Overall index 26.9 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 3% cheaper than Cebu.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 17% cheaper than in Cebu.
- Groceries in Chiang Mai is 5% cheaper than in Cebu.
| Item | Cebu | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -17% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $498 | $477 | -4% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $401 | $325 | -19% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,085 | $805 | -26% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $653 | $542 | -17% |
| Groceries | -5% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.48 | $0.53 | +10% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.61 | $1.44 | -11% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.97 | $1.68 | -15% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.93 | $1.78 | -8% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.51 | $4.79 | -13% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.94 | $4.84 | -2% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.62 | $6.72 | -12% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.11 | $2.14 | +1% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.81 | $0.79 | -2% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.76 | $1.82 | +3% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.15 | $2.21 | +3% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.05 | $1.07 | +2% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $0.94 | 0% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1 | $0.93 | -7% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.96 | $0.87 | -9% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.25 | $5.67 | -9% |
| Transport | +3% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.79 | $0.71 | -10% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $34.2 | $38.2 | +12% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.05 | $1.11 | +6% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.54 | $0.56 | +4% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.27 | $0.29 | +7% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,585 | $8,510 | -1% |
| Dining out | +4% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $7.54 | $6.98 | -7% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $38.4 | $40 | +4% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.48 | $3.87 | +11% |
| Cappuccino | $1.73 | $1.62 | -6% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.72 | $0.9 | +25% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.46 | $2.41 | -2% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.53 | $2.63 | +4% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.59 | $0.64 | +8% |
| Telecom | -3% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $24.9 | 0% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $29.5 | $26.6 | -10% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.14 | $0.15 | +7% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.58 | $6.1 | -7% |
| Utilities & household | +2% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $59 | $67.6 | +15% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.08 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.7 | $1.58 | -7% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.6 | $0.56 | -7% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.28 | $8.03 | -3% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $30.2 | $32.5 | +8% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.36 | $6.4 | +1% |
| Men's haircut | $11.6 | $10.6 | -9% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $8.37 | $9.66 | +15% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $754 | $810 | +7% |
3,335 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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