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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $641 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,666 in Iquitos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Iquitos 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.08 PEN 14.36

-51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$36.24 PEN 128

-48.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.84 PEN 24.08

15.79%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.36 PEN 11.82

-43.15%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.81 PEN 2.87

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.00 PEN 3.54

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.84 PEN 10.00

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.13 PEN 25.09

-46.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.71 PEN 6.04

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.25 PEN 7.91

-28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.37 PEN 8.36

-15.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.05 PEN 10.72

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.87 PEN 3.06

-35.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$33.44 PEN 118

109.78%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.80 PEN 38.01

27.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$8.32 PEN 29.28

111.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$28.27 PEN 99.5

47.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$8.16 PEN 28.71

-19.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.48 PEN 19.30

5.47%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,667 PEN 9,389

455.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$81.7 PEN 288

-33.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.05 PEN 116

-20.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$50.8 PEN 179

66.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$25.37 PEN 89.3

173.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$329 PEN 1,159

28.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$248 PEN 873

-3.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$828 PEN 2,916

-0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$701 PEN 2,466

-26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$575 PEN 2,026

10.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $329 in Iquitos. 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 10% 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 $36.00 in Iquitos. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $75.0 in Iquitos – so Iquitos 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 Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Iquitos, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $962 in Iquitos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $641 in Iquitos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 225% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $641 in Iquitos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $641 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 Iquitos. 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.