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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $529 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $843 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,156 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 63% 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 36% lower, Cerro de Pasco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.73 PEN 9.25

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$28.00 PEN 95.0

-34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.01 PEN 23.79

6.70%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.98 PEN 6.72

2.02%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.71 PEN 2.42

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.44 PEN 1.48

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.23 PEN 7.58

-4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.80 PEN 12.90

-5.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.42 PEN 4.81

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.26 PEN 7.66

-30.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.20 PEN 4.09

-0.83%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.28 PEN 7.73

-14.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$8.09 PEN 27.44

100.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.72 PEN 19.39

-47.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.84 PEN 26.58

39.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.04 PEN 6.91

32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.70 PEN 2.38

67.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.40 PEN 1.36

322.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.14 PEN 3.87

40.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.71 PEN 2.42

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.52 PEN 1.77

130.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.89 PEN 3.01

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.81 PEN 2.74

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.70 PEN 19.34

-18.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.35 PEN 24.93

139.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.69 PEN 5.72

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.52 PEN 8.57

30.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$3.28 PEN 11.12

-58.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.21 PEN 7.48

-39.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.49 PEN 28.79

-3.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-10.95%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

8.03%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

-6.91%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$56.1 PEN 190

26.06%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$12.48 PEN 42.33

12.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$23.99 PEN 81.4

-27.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.86 PEN 23.28

-13.70%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$214 PEN 728

43.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

84.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$49.42 PEN 168

12.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$36.25 PEN 123

-27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$88.8 PEN 301

-6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$91.1 PEN 309

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$382 PEN 1,297

114.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$467 PEN 1,584

24.11%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 24% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 63%, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $794 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 $18.00 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 26% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $529 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.