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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $560 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,254 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cerro de Pasco 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.00 PEN 10.05

-30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$29.52 PEN 99.0

-32.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.07 PEN 23.70

-18.10%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.13 PEN 7.15

-14.08%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.76 PEN 2.56

2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.47 PEN 1.56

-34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.60 PEN 8.72

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.57 PEN 15.32

-19.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.52 PEN 5.10

33.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.33 PEN 7.81

-31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.34 PEN 4.50

5.97%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.47 PEN 8.28

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.17 PEN 30.74

73.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.98 PEN 20.05

-48.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.10 PEN 27.17

21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.07 PEN 6.95

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.77 PEN 2.58

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.43 PEN 1.46

279.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.22 PEN 4.11

25.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.72 PEN 2.40

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.51 PEN 1.71

121.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.86 PEN 2.89

-13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.90 PEN 3.03

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$5.87 PEN 19.69

-27.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.65 PEN 25.63

134.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.01 PEN 6.73

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.64 PEN 8.84

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$4.12 PEN 13.80

-70.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$2.13 PEN 7.14

-75.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.21 PEN 24.17

-66.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.67 PEN 5.60

-13.77%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$22.4K PEN 75.0K

-5.32%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$26.5K PEN 89.0K

2.87%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$69.8 PEN 234

-7.03%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$16.83 PEN 56.4

-20.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$27.87 PEN 93.4

-25.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.48 PEN 25.08

-10.29%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$185 PEN 622

324.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$13.1K PEN 44.0K

15.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$55.1 PEN 185

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$35.26 PEN 118

-29.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$87.2 PEN 292

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$80.8 PEN 271

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$421 PEN 1,412

115.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$476 PEN 1,597

27.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.94

-37.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 27% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $206 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 70%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $839 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $560, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.