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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $739 in Cusco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,164 in Cusco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,589 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 36% lower, Cusco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$2.73 PEN 9.24

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$28.05 PEN 95.1

-34.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$5.64 PEN 19.11

32.62%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.00 PEN 6.78

1.00%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$1.23 PEN 4.16

-30.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.73 PEN 2.48

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.29 PEN 14.55

-16.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.45 PEN 4.90

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$2.88 PEN 9.78

-45.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.27 PEN 4.31

-6.30%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$3.80 PEN 12.89

-48.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$4.64 PEN 15.74

248.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$4.82 PEN 16.33

-37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$6.78 PEN 22.97

61.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$2.45 PEN 8.31

10.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.72 PEN 2.45

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.32 PEN 4.49

28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.88 PEN 3.00

81.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$1.00 PEN 3.38

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$0.99 PEN 3.34

21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.65 PEN 2.19

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.70 PEN 2.36

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.75 PEN 16.08

-2.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$5.83 PEN 19.76

202.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.90 PEN 6.45

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.16 PEN 10.71

4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.29 PEN 0.99

203.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$1.64 PEN 5.56

-17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.66 PEN 5.64

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.79 PEN 9.46

194.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.49 PEN 5.06

-18.12%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

11.70%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

2.94%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$33.89 PEN 115

108.53%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$14.14 PEN 47.92

-0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$31.07 PEN 105

-43.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$30.62 PEN 104

37.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.00 PEN 16.94

18.40%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$36.06 PEN 122

54.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$29.00 PEN 98.3

-9.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$61.9 PEN 210

34.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$72.3 PEN 245

-2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$303 PEN 1,028

42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$247 PEN 838

-3.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$588 PEN 1,993

39.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$424 PEN 1,436

20.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

-50.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,798 PEN 6,096

-18.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$427 PEN 1,448

35.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $303 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 36% 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 Cusco. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $192 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,109 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $739 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $739 in Cusco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cusco costs $739 versus $861 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.