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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,561 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,124 in Lima, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Lima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.06 PEN 13.77

-51.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$33.99 PEN 115

-46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.74 PEN 22.86

10.98%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.52 PEN 8.56

-19.84%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.94 PEN 3.18

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.65 PEN 2.21

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.17 PEN 7.35

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.95 PEN 13.39

-9.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.41 PEN 4.78

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.72 PEN 9.22

-42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-13.14%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.94 PEN 9.98

-34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.92 PEN 26.87

104.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.76 PEN 19.54

-48.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.71 PEN 36.32

2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.98 PEN 6.72

36.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.08 PEN 3.66

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.10 PEN 3.72

53.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.19 PEN 4.05

34.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.04 PEN 3.51

32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.00 PEN 3.38

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.86 PEN 2.93

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.59 PEN 18.96

-16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.99 PEN 30.51

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.77 PEN 5.99

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.07 PEN 10.42

7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.68 PEN 2.29

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$31.68 PEN 107

-38.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$3.37 PEN 11.43

-59.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.22 PEN 7.54

-39.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.26 PEN 28.00

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.35 PEN 4.58

-9.63%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

10.05%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

-7.13%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$56.4 PEN 191

25.21%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$12.57 PEN 42.63

11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$23.66 PEN 80.3

-26.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$31.04 PEN 105

35.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$18.69 PEN 63.4

-63.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.83 PEN 23.17

-13.32%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$219 PEN 743

40.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

83.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$49.58 PEN 168

12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$35.59 PEN 121

-26.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$89.3 PEN 303

-6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$88.9 PEN 302

-20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$623 PEN 2,115

-30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$344 PEN 1,167

-30.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,027 PEN 3,484

-19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$618 PEN 2,098

-17.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,315 PEN 7,852

-17.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,395 PEN 4,734

5.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$625 PEN 2,120

-7.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-50.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $623 in Lima. 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 8% higher in Lima, 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 $34.00 in Lima. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Lima – so Lima 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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,498 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $219 in Lima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Lima – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Lima at $999. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $999 in Lima. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.