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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $468 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $784 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,099 in Moquegua, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 97% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$3.69 PEN 12.37

-42.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$29.34 PEN 98.4

-32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$6.05 PEN 20.28

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.47 PEN 8.26

-28.74%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.80 PEN 2.68

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.42 PEN 1.40

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.33 PEN 7.80

6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-35.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.37 PEN 4.60

38.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.42 PEN 4.77

17.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.51 PEN 5.06

-10.60%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.32 PEN 7.78

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$6.51 PEN 21.81

144.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$4.67 PEN 15.66

-39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$7.45 PEN 24.98

41.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.81 PEN 6.07

31.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.27 PEN 4.26

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.17 PEN 3.93

29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.02 PEN 3.43

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.68 PEN 2.29

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.69 PEN 2.31

59.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.56 PEN 1.88

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.76 PEN 2.55

-35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.06 PEN 16.98

-15.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$5.31 PEN 17.79

216.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$3.07 PEN 10.28

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.39 PEN 8.00

17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$2.11 PEN 7.08

-43.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$2.04 PEN 6.84

-73.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$13.04 PEN 43.72

-81.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.55 PEN 5.18

-7.74%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

9.57%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

3.78%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$24.11 PEN 80.8

168.52%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$10.20 PEN 34.20

29.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$23.71 PEN 79.5

-18.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.26 PEN 24.35

-8.82%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$77.3 PEN 259

941.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

121.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$49.52 PEN 166

10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$27.22 PEN 91.3

-6.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$69.6 PEN 233

32.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$60.4 PEN 202

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Moquegua. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $181 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 97% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $701 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Moquegua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $468, than in Chiang Mai at $920. 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 $468 versus $920 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.