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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $453 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $751 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,050 in Moquegua, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$3.46 PEN 11.93

-38.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿651

$27.61 PEN 95.1

-29.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$5.82 PEN 20.03

-6.01%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.6

$2.56 PEN 8.82

-34.38%

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

$0.66 ฿22.17

$0.82 PEN 2.82

-19.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.55

$0.37 PEN 1.27

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

$2.16 PEN 7.44

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$4.37 PEN 15.05

-14.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.1

$1.33 PEN 4.59

54.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.93

$1.37 PEN 4.73

6.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.22

$1.54 PEN 5.31

-12.34%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.2

$2.33 PEN 8.01

-2.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$6.24 PEN 21.50

161.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$4.63 PEN 15.95

-41.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$7.37 PEN 25.38

24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.4

$1.81 PEN 6.22

32.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.76

$1.21 PEN 4.17

-14.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.20 PEN 4.13

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.05 PEN 3.63

37.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.72

$0.69 PEN 2.38

88.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.40

$0.69 PEN 2.39

60.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.62

$0.55 PEN 1.89

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.04

$0.74 PEN 2.56

-31.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$5.28 PEN 18.19

-21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿597

$5.11 PEN 17.58

247.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$2.72 PEN 9.38

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.3

$2.25 PEN 7.75

27.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.94

$2.05 PEN 7.06

-40.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.87

$2.02 PEN 6.97

-72.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$13.02 PEN 44.83

-82.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.52 PEN 5.25

-1.32%

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

$20.9K ฿700.4K

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

12.55%

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

$26.7K ฿897.7K

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

5.89%

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

$61.3 ฿2,057

$23.82 PEN 82.0

157.18%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$10.37 PEN 35.73

20.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿684

$23.27 PEN 80.2

-12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$7.33 PEN 25.26

-9.96%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$74.5 PEN 257

939.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿484.7K

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

113.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,840

$48.42 PEN 167

13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿848

$26.56 PEN 91.5

-4.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,041

$68.0 PEN 234

33.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,460

$58.4 PEN 201

25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,865

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-62.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Moquegua. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $176 in Moquegua – so Moquegua 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 Moquegua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Moquegua, 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $680 in Moquegua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Moquegua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moquegua, where all-in costs run around $453, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Moquegua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moquegua costs $453 versus $906 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 Moquegua. 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.