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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $730 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,254 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,778 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Chiclayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.83 PEN 17.00

-59.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$33.64 PEN 118

-44.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.13 PEN 28.61

-2.58%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.22 PEN 14.86

-54.74%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.79 PEN 2.78

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.47 PEN 1.65

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.62 PEN 9.22

-15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.36 PEN 4.80

20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.65 PEN 5.79

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.71 PEN 6.02

-30.99%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.95 PEN 10.39

-31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.00 PEN 21.12

164.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.08 PEN 21.41

-50.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.64 PEN 30.42

24.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.98 PEN 6.95

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.58 PEN 5.55

-22.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.08 PEN 3.80

57.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.51 PEN 5.30

4.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.99 PEN 3.47

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.42 PEN 5.00

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.66 PEN 2.32

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.72 PEN 2.54

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.28 PEN 15.05

5.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.27 PEN 50.2

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.29 PEN 4.53

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.60 PEN 5.62

101.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.51 PEN 1.81

74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$27.49 PEN 96.8

-29.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.63 PEN 9.25

-48.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.13 PEN 3.96

19.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.90 PEN 17.24

68.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.26 PEN 4.45

0.79%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$23.8K PEN 83.9K

-11.22%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$22.8K PEN 80.1K

-1.20%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$38.26 PEN 135

83.35%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$14.89 PEN 52.4

-7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$35.66 PEN 126

-50.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$32.79 PEN 115

26.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$33.81 PEN 119

-80.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.66 PEN 19.93

2.12%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$223 PEN 786

37.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,485 PEN 12.3K

325.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.05 PEN 159

20.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$35.63 PEN 125

-26.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.5 PEN 297

0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$39.39 PEN 139

76.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$127 PEN 445

234.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$140 PEN 492

70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$320 PEN 1,128

157.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$367 PEN 1,291

40.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,103 PEN 3,883

85.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,098 PEN 3,866

38.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$452 PEN 1,591

40.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-50.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $127 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 41% 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 $34.00 in Chiclayo. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Chiclayo – so Chiclayo 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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,095 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $223 in Chiclayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $730 in Chiclayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiclayo costs $730 versus $852 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.