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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $747 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,171 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Cusco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cusco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.81 PEN 9.56

-30.96%

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

$5.64 PEN 19.20

38.65%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.02 PEN 6.86

-3.47%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.23 PEN 4.17

-30.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.74 PEN 2.50

-52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.19 PEN 7.44

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.23 PEN 14.39

-11.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.46 PEN 4.95

17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-45.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.33 PEN 4.53

-14.29%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-50.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.76 PEN 16.20

240.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.89 PEN 16.62

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.88 PEN 23.41

58.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.37 PEN 8.06

16.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.72 PEN 2.45

68.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.27 PEN 4.32

27.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.90 PEN 3.05

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.00 PEN 3.39

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.96 PEN 3.26

21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.70 PEN 2.37

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.68 PEN 2.31

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.83 PEN 16.42

-2.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.86 PEN 19.93

218.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.98 PEN 6.74

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.06 PEN 10.42

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.27 PEN 0.91

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.69 PEN 5.74

-16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-19.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.79 PEN 9.49

181.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.51 PEN 5.13

-15.89%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

13.24%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

0.46%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$33.09 PEN 113

108.73%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$14.07 PEN 47.86

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$30.14 PEN 103

-40.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$30.93 PEN 105

32.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.76 PEN 16.19

24.37%

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$36.52 PEN 124

49.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$28.63 PEN 97.4

-6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$61.6 PEN 210

37.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$70.4 PEN 239

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$304 PEN 1,033

41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$250 PEN 850

-5.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$582 PEN 1,979

37.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$410 PEN 1,395

25.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

-49.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,754 PEN 5,968

-15.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$432 PEN 1,471

42.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-54.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $304 in Cusco. 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 43% 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 Cusco. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $194 in Cusco – so Cusco 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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Cusco, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,120 in Cusco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $747 in Cusco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $747 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cusco costs $747 versus $866 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 Cusco. 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.