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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arequipa is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arequipa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$1.94 ฿63.5

112.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$18.64 ฿609

50.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$7.82 ฿255

-27.88%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$1.95 ฿63.8

30.26%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.85 ฿27.77

-3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.35 ฿11.58

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.13 ฿69.6

1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$3.73 ฿122

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.71 ฿56.0

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.63 ฿53.2

-21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.14 ฿37.15

7.89%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$1.93 ฿63.1

11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$16.21 ฿530

-65.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$3.12 ฿102

65.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$10.90 ฿356

-28.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.75 ฿90.0

-45.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.21 ฿39.52

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.62 ฿53.0

-26.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$1.59 ฿51.8

-51.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$1.40 ฿45.70

-60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$1.17 ฿38.17

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.66 ฿21.60

-31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.53 ฿17.22

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$4.69 ฿153

3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$18.66 ฿609

-72.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.80 ฿58.8

36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$3.23 ฿106

-28.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.90 ฿29.26

-67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$1.41 ฿45.91

46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$1.29 ฿42.12

59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$7.84 ฿256

62.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.27 ฿41.58

21.26%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-12.68%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

14.71%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$69.1 ฿2,256

-43.33%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$14.08 ฿460

-24.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$18.00 ฿588

72.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

-48.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$6.96 ฿227

19.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$5.92 ฿193

-24.16%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$299 ฿9,766

-79.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-58.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$54.7 ฿1,787

-32.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$26.77 ฿874

-17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$85.0 ฿2,776

-26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$70.6 ฿2,306

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$428 ฿14.0K

-43.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$237 ฿7,752

-33.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$801 ฿26.2K

-32.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$515 ฿16.8K

-25.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-0.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-32.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$617 ฿20.2K

5.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

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

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa 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 5% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $974 per month in Arequipa 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 Arequipa, 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 $28.00 in Arequipa 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 44% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $649 in Arequipa and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 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 Arequipa. 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.