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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $796 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,338 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,880 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Chiclayo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.35 PEN 17.96

-61.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$36.27 PEN 122

-45.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.02 PEN 30.26

-37.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.43 PEN 14.85

-59.14%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.92 PEN 3.08

-16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.44 PEN 1.46

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$9.16 PEN 30.73

-75.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.01 PEN 6.74

1.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.65 PEN 8.89

-43.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.66 PEN 8.92

-47.37%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.82 PEN 6.12

24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.67 PEN 32.46

67.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$9.70 PEN 32.54

-70.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.80 PEN 26.17

20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.95 PEN 6.55

-44.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.95 PEN 6.56

-25.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.33 PEN 4.45

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.02 PEN 6.77

-47.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.87 PEN 2.93

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.93 PEN 3.11

-43.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.49 PEN 15.08

-5.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$15.05 PEN 50.5

21.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.46 PEN 4.88

11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.21 PEN 4.05

139.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.53 PEN 1.76

66.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$29.84 PEN 100

80.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$4.36 PEN 14.64

-73.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$5.89 PEN 19.78

-59.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.35 PEN 4.55

7.41%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$25.2K PEN 84.7K

-16.71%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$25.0K PEN 83.7K

5.88%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$50.5 PEN 170

26.01%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$45.51 PEN 153

-71.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$23.43 PEN 78.6

-12.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$45.29 PEN 152

-13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$35.50 PEN 119

-88.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.63 PEN 25.59

-13.76%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$351 PEN 1,179

123.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,231 PEN 17.6K

180.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$177 PEN 594

177.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$148 PEN 496

94.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$443 PEN 1,486

101.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$422 PEN 1,417

23.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,116 PEN 3,744

76.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,107 PEN 3,714

30.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$474 PEN 1,591

26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $177 in Chiclayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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 $36.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $249 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Chiclayo, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,195 in Chiclayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiclayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $351 in Chiclayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiclayo, where all-in costs run around $796, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Chiclayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiclayo costs $796 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiclayo. 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.