Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Luque

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,030 in Luque, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Luque
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Luque Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Luque

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,030

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Luque

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Luque actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,030 in Luque, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Luque $1,030

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,556 in Luque, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Luque $1,556

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,082 in Luque, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Luque $2,082

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Luque, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Luque are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Luque 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$4.22 ₲24.5K

-46.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$34.94 ₲202.8K

-45.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$5.30 ₲30.7K

4.72%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.50 ₲20.3K

-52.29%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.09 ₲6,354

-41.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.57 ₲3,291

-45.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.09 ₲12.1K

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.80 ₲10.4K

103.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.31 ₲7,618

48.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.47 ₲8,552

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.37 ₲7,949

-2.92%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.14 ₲12.4K

6.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$9.84 ₲57.1K

67.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$5.37 ₲31.2K

-48.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.11 ₲58.7K

-7.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.93 ₲17.0K

-19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.31 ₲7,600

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.23 ₲7,151

30.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.41 ₲14.0K

-37.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.41 ₲8,170

-9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.36 ₲7,867

-19.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.91 ₲5,282

-21.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.71 ₲4,126

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.39 ₲13.9K

73.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.99 ₲52.1K

94.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.37 ₲7,969

17.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.78 ₲10.3K

56.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.67 ₲3,871

29.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$1.45 ₲8,411

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.57 ₲9,138

-66.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$10.37 ₲60.2K

-76.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.28 ₲7,454

13.28%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$17.7K ₲102.5M

19.23%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$30.4K ₲176.5M

-11.42%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$26.26 ₲152.4K

136.75%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$17.13 ₲99.4K

-28.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$21.01 ₲121.9K

-4.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$48.12 ₲279.2K

-22.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.88 ₲51.5K

-26.91%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$188 ₲1.1M

292.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$4,851 ₲28.2M

204.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$63.6 ₲369.1K

-16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$56.7 ₲329.2K

-56.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$108 ₲624.0K

-14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$70.9 ₲411.6K

1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$442 ₲2.6M

9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$426 ₲2.5M

-27.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$1,517 ₲8.8M

-33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$651 ₲3.8M

-2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,248 ₲7.2M

89.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$490 ₲2.8M

20.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.5

-46.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Luque: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Luque

$426 41.3% 37.7% $117

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Luque

$216 20.9% 8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Luque

$134 13.1% 23.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Luque

$64 6.3% 31.8% $30

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Luque

$112 10.9% 44.8% $35

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Luque

$12 * 1.2% 80.5% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Luque

$66 6.4% 31% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $442 in Luque. 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 20% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $35 in Luque. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $216 in Luque – so Luque wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇾 Luque

🕒 Local time

00:59 12:59 AM

14:59 2:59 PM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

224,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.72 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.55 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,803 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.72 USD). 1 EUR = 6,460 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.55 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Luque 17,490 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Luque

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Luque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luque costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,545 in Luque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $442 in Luque. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $35 in Luque. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Luque – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,030 in Luque. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,030 in Luque. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.