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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.13 PEN 14.06

-53.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$28.09 PEN 95.5

-33.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.64 PEN 19.18

38.65%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.54 PEN 8.62

-23.23%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.82 PEN 2.78

3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 PEN 1.25

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.16 PEN 7.33

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.85 PEN 19.90

-36.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.61 PEN 5.48

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.28 PEN 4.35

27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.23 PEN 4.19

-7.32%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.15 PEN 7.29

-10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.52 PEN 18.75

193.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.17 PEN 17.59

-39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.76 PEN 26.38

40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.49 PEN 5.07

84.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.17 PEN 3.97

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.19 PEN 4.04

36.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.77 PEN 2.61

106.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.55 PEN 1.86

154.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.54 PEN 1.84

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.45 PEN 1.51

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.87 PEN 16.56

-3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.04 PEN 17.12

270.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.46 PEN 8.38

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.31 PEN 7.87

39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.29 PEN 0.99

210.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.06 PEN 7.02

-31.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-37.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$12.77 PEN 43.43

-38.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.54 PEN 5.24

-17.53%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

14.52%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

-12.82%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$39.14 PEN 133

76.47%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.57 PEN 35.94

33.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$31.04 PEN 106

-42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$21.22 PEN 72.1

93.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$8.34 PEN 28.37

-16.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.49 PEN 15.27

31.85%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$60.0 PEN 204

398.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

138.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$37.00 PEN 126

47.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$22.10 PEN 75.1

21.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$62.8 PEN 214

35.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$56.3 PEN 191

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$240 PEN 817

78.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$158 PEN 538

50.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$540 PEN 1,836

48.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$386 PEN 1,314

33.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,956 PEN 6,650

0.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$993 PEN 3,377

48.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$650 PEN 2,210

-4.99%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $240 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 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $974 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 $19.00 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 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $649 in Arequipa, 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.