Manila vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Manila (Philippines) · Overall index 32.9 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 21% cheaper than Manila.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 42% cheaper than in Manila.
- Groceries in Chiang Mai is 19% cheaper than in Manila.
| Item | Manila | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -42% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $859 | $477 | -44% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $487 | $325 | -33% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,321 | $805 | -39% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,063 | $542 | -49% |
| Groceries | -19% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.62 | $0.53 | -15% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.85 | $1.44 | -22% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.02 | $1.68 | -17% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.34 | $1.78 | -24% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.71 | $4.79 | -16% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.35 | $4.84 | -10% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $9.31 | $6.72 | -28% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.54 | $2.14 | -16% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.97 | $0.79 | -19% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.09 | $1.82 | -13% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.66 | $2.21 | -17% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.2 | $1.07 | -11% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.3 | $0.94 | -28% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.23 | $0.93 | -24% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.15 | $0.87 | -24% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.3 | $5.67 | -22% |
| Transport | -17% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.03 | $0.71 | -31% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $41.6 | $38.2 | -8% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.37 | $1.11 | -19% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.64 | $0.56 | -12% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.31 | $0.29 | -6% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,901 | $8,510 | -22% |
| Dining out | -13% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $9.18 | $6.98 | -24% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $42.6 | $40 | -6% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.96 | $3.87 | -2% |
| Cappuccino | $1.79 | $1.62 | -9% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.03 | $0.9 | -13% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.96 | $2.41 | -19% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.25 | $2.63 | -19% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.7 | $0.64 | -9% |
| Telecom | -15% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $29.8 | $24.9 | -16% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $30.2 | $26.6 | -12% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.15 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.29 | $6.1 | -26% |
| Utilities & household | -16% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81.4 | $67.6 | -17% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.08 | -11% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.06 | $1.58 | -23% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.62 | $0.56 | -10% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.9 | $8.03 | -26% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $38.5 | $32.5 | -16% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.49 | $6.4 | -1% |
| Men's haircut | $13.8 | $10.6 | -23% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.8 | $9.66 | -11% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $955 | $810 | -15% |
3,436 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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