Cebu vs Chiang Mai: cost of living for digital nomads
Cebu, Philippines and Chiang Mai, Thailand, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Cebu and Chiang Mai cost about the same per month ($1,100).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $400 in Chiang Mai against $450 in Cebu.
- Chiang Mai scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 6/10).
- Internet is faster in Chiang Mai: 210 Mbps typical against 80 Mbps.
- Both have a tropical climate.
Cebu wins 1 of the measured lines; Chiang Mai wins 5.
| Line | Cebu | Chiang Mai |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,100 | $1,100 |
| Rent | $450 | $400 |
| Food | $300 | $320 |
| Transport | $50 | $40 |
| Coworking | $100 | $100 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 80 | 210 |
| Climate | tropical | tropical |
| City size | metro | mid |
| Setting | island | inland |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 7/10 | 10/10 |
Compare Cebu with
Compare Chiang Mai with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.