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: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $706 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,178 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $1,649 in Cajamarca.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 34% more expensive than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cajamarca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$3.47 PEN 11.66

-40.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$30.10 PEN 101

-34.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$6.04 PEN 20.32

-6.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.74 PEN 9.22

-33.94%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.82 PEN 2.76

-13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.61 PEN 2.04

-47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.40 PEN 8.08

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.51 PEN 11.80

3.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.38 PEN 4.64

42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$3.22 PEN 10.82

-53.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.30 PEN 4.36

3.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.23 PEN 7.50

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.80 PEN 26.24

108.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.35 PEN 21.34

-53.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$12.95 PEN 43.55

-23.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.13 PEN 3.79

127.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$0.78 PEN 2.64

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.29 PEN 4.33

24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.11 PEN 3.74

36.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.75 PEN 2.52

69.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.04 PEN 3.50

2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.76 PEN 2.55

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.76 PEN 2.57

-32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$8.76 PEN 29.46

-52.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$10.28 PEN 34.56

73.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.61 PEN 8.78

-35.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.51 PEN 8.43

13.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.60 PEN 2.02

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$8.74 PEN 29.38

516.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.82 PEN 6.13

-32.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.33 PEN 4.48

-56.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$5.32 PEN 17.88

-54.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.53 PEN 5.13

-7.84%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$24.2K PEN 81.4K

-11.39%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$25.8K PEN 86.8K

5.96%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$49.37 PEN 166

28.96%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$9.79 PEN 32.94

31.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$29.16 PEN 98.1

-30.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$30.10 PEN 101

28.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$21.17 PEN 71.2

-81.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$4.76 PEN 16.02

41.60%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$137 PEN 461

467.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

231.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$52.8 PEN 177

2.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$29.83 PEN 100

-14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$81.1 PEN 273

16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$81.5 PEN 274

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$206 PEN 691

138.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$105 PEN 354

174.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$542 PEN 1,822

64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$313 PEN 1,053

65.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,339 PEN 7,866

-16.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$740 PEN 2,487

-18.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.5

-46.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $206 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $30.00 in Cajamarca. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $230, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $206 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 516% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $137 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Cajamarca versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Cajamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 34% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.