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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.07 PEN 13.78

-51.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.88 PEN 94.5

-34.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.47 PEN 18.52

36.75%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.58 PEN 8.73

-21.71%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.82 PEN 2.76

3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.37 PEN 1.25

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.24 PEN 7.59

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$6.11 PEN 20.70

-41.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.55 PEN 5.25

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.27 PEN 4.29

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.29 PEN 4.36

-7.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.07 PEN 7.00

-6.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$5.57 PEN 18.87

190.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.27 PEN 17.87

-43.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.58 PEN 25.68

44.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.46 PEN 4.96

85.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.18 PEN 3.99

-0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.22 PEN 4.14

38.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.78 PEN 2.63

105.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.59 PEN 2.01

133.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.58 PEN 1.97

106.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.45 PEN 1.52

48.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.05 PEN 17.10

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.21 PEN 17.65

238.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.48 PEN 8.39

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.20 PEN 7.47

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.27 PEN 0.91

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-34.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-34.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$12.92 PEN 43.79

-36.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-24.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

14.03%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

-11.13%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$39.23 PEN 133

80.14%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.33 PEN 34.99

35.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$30.48 PEN 103

-42.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$21.96 PEN 74.4

91.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$8.17 PEN 27.70

-15.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.46 PEN 15.11

32.74%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$59.9 PEN 203

414.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

133.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$37.74 PEN 128

47.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$22.29 PEN 75.5

17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$63.2 PEN 214

31.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$56.5 PEN 191

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$244 PEN 826

77.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$157 PEN 533

52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$546 PEN 1,851

50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$390 PEN 1,322

31.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,023 PEN 6,856

-5.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$994 PEN 3,369

47.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$649 PEN 2,198

-10.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $244 in Arequipa. 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 12% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $171 in Arequipa – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 32% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $977 in Arequipa. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $652 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $861 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.