Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $514 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $835 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,157 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cerro de Pasco 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.86 PEN 9.74

-32.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.73 PEN 94.3

-32.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.95 PEN 23.65

12.52%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.88 PEN 6.41

3.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.72 PEN 2.46

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.41 PEN 1.38

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.20 PEN 7.50

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.83 PEN 13.02

-2.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.48 PEN 5.04

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-27.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.23 PEN 4.20

-7.32%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.31 PEN 7.86

-16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.15 PEN 27.73

98.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.80 PEN 19.73

-46.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.80 PEN 26.54

39.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.97 PEN 6.71

39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.67 PEN 2.28

80.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.43 PEN 1.48

276.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.13 PEN 3.84

40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.67 PEN 2.27

108.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.51 PEN 1.75

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.82 PEN 2.80

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.79 PEN 2.70

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.62 PEN 19.14

-16.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.24 PEN 24.65

157.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.68 PEN 5.72

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.44 PEN 8.31

32.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.36 PEN 11.42

-58.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.19 PEN 7.45

-41.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.15 PEN 27.74

-3.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.36 PEN 4.62

-6.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

11.23%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.5K PEN 83.4K

-9.35%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$56.0 PEN 190

23.43%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$12.44 PEN 42.31

13.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.81 PEN 81.0

-24.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.06 PEN 24.03

-16.15%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$223 PEN 757

34.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,987 PEN 27.2K

87.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$50.5 PEN 172

8.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$36.65 PEN 125

-26.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$89.9 PEN 306

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$90.9 PEN 309

-22.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$386 PEN 1,312

107.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$468 PEN 1,591

32.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-50.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 32% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $193 in Cerro de Pasco – so Cerro de Pasco 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 Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $770 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $514 in Cerro de Pasco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cerro de Pasco. 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.