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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $649 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,101 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,552 in Cajamarca.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 33% more expensive than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cajamarca 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.13 PEN 10.62

-37.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.42 PEN 93.0

-33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.71 PEN 19.36

31.00%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.82 PEN 9.56

-28.37%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.81 PEN 2.74

4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.59 PEN 1.99

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.16 PEN 7.34

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.30 PEN 11.21

8.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.25 PEN 4.22

32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.01 PEN 10.20

-47.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.09 PEN 3.70

9.17%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.17 PEN 7.36

-10.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.16 PEN 20.89

162.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.96 PEN 20.22

-49.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.10 PEN 41.05

-9.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.00 PEN 3.38

171.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.69 PEN 2.35

69.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.90 PEN 3.05

87.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.05 PEN 3.56

52.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.69 PEN 2.34

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.95 PEN 3.22

26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.62 PEN 2.10

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.71 PEN 2.39

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.10 PEN 27.48

-42.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.31 PEN 34.97

70.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.42 PEN 8.22

-23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.39 PEN 8.12

38.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.55 PEN 1.86

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$8.17 PEN 27.71

136.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.71 PEN 5.80

-20.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.21 PEN 4.09

10.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.99 PEN 16.92

64.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.51 PEN 5.11

-19.21%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$22.5K PEN 76.4K

-5.21%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$24.8K PEN 84.1K

-9.11%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$46.02 PEN 156

53.56%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.05 PEN 30.71

55.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$26.71 PEN 90.6

-34.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$28.68 PEN 97.3

46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$19.78 PEN 67.1

-65.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.48 PEN 15.20

32.14%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$131 PEN 444

135.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,137 PEN 14.0K

259.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$48.83 PEN 166

14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$27.49 PEN 93.3

-5.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$74.9 PEN 254

10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$77.7 PEN 264

-9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$203 PEN 689

112.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$97.1 PEN 329

146.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$497 PEN 1,685

65.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$294 PEN 999

73.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,358 PEN 8,000

-18.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$704 PEN 2,390

-17.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

-52.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $203 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $211, with Cajamarca cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Cajamarca. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $203 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 137% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $131 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cajamarca gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cajamarca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cajamarca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cajamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.