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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,876 in Pacov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,743 in Pacov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,610 in Pacov, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Pacov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Pacov is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$9.48 Kč 197

-78.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$45.52 Kč 946

-56.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$12.96 Kč 269

-56.40%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$3.10 Kč 64.4

-41.61%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$2.90 Kč 60.4

-75.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.39 Kč 28.80

-76.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.43 Kč 29.65

56.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.55 Kč 115

-34.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.71 Kč 35.50

14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.45 Kč 30.08

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.18 Kč 66.0

-57.86%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$5.79 Kč 120

-60.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$12.43 Kč 258

30.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$9.66 Kč 201

-69.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$22.68 Kč 471

-56.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.47 Kč 30.58

74.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.80 Kč 58.3

-62.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.02 Kč 83.6

-59.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$3.49 Kč 72.5

-56.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.08 Kč 22.50

17.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.22 Kč 46.08

-51.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.35 Kč 28.05

-46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.80 Kč 16.59

-36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.76 Kč 78.2

11.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.23 Kč 150

147.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.82 Kč 17.07

106.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.80 Kč 37.46

57.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$1.22 Kč 25.33

-23.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$25.84 Kč 537

108.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$2.47 Kč 51.4

-50.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.94 Kč 19.51

-38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$28.84 Kč 600

-91.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.87 Kč 38.85

-24.60%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$32.3K Kč 670.9K

-33.56%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$31.6K Kč 656.7K

-13.49%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$297 Kč 6,165

-78.53%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$23.56 Kč 490

-45.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$19.65 Kč 409

2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$103 Kč 2,140

-62.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$18.06 Kč 375

-78.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$14.22 Kč 295

-52.60%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$450 Kč 9,344

73.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$10.9K Kč 227.0K

33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$121 Kč 2,507

-54.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$77.2 Kč 1,605

-67.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$178 Kč 3,695

-46.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$128 Kč 2,662

-42.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$741 Kč 15.4K

-33.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$624 Kč 13.0K

-53.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,237 Kč 25.7K

-27.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$971 Kč 20.2K

-46.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,808 Kč 99.9K

-59.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$4,729 Kč 98.3K

-68.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,197 Kč 24.9K

-49.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.85

-29.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pacov: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $741 in Pacov. 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 99% higher in Pacov, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Pacov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $324 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pacov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pacov costs about 98% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,813 in Pacov. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $450 in Pacov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Pacov, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Pacov at $1,876. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pacov it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,876 in Pacov. 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, Pacov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.