Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pak Kret Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pak Kret

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $890 in Pak Kret, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,441 in Pak Kret, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,992 in Pak Kret, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Pak Kret, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Pak Kret are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Pak Kret 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.01 ฿98.3

-34.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$31.08 ฿1,016

-39.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.18 ฿202

28.16%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.13 ฿69.7

-10.33%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.72 ฿23.65

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.27 ฿8.72

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.53 ฿82.7

-12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.50 ฿81.7

52.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.74 ฿56.9

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.33 ฿43.64

21.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.45 ฿47.49

-18.62%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.19 ฿71.7

-8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$15.61 ฿510

1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.30 ฿108

-8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.54 ฿312

12.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.40 ฿111

-23.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.33 ฿43.40

-8.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.96 ฿64.1

-13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.42 ฿46.39

11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.53 ฿50.1

-13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.22 ฿39.91

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.03 ฿33.62

-34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.53 ฿17.47

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.74 ฿155

-4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$17.22 ฿563

5.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.76 ฿57.6

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.33 ฿76.2

38.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.94 ฿30.72

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.09 ฿35.69

23.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.19 ฿38.86

13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.46 ฿113

138.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.29 ฿42.26

-1.55%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.0K ฿851.1K

-18.72%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.6K ฿869.5K

-15.44%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$79.3 ฿2,594

-11.56%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$12.43 ฿406

10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$17.34 ฿567

1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$49.94 ฿1,633

-16.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$12.35 ฿404

-46.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.64 ฿250

-24.35%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$297 ฿9,706

3.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$9,336 ฿305.3K

58.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$30.44 ฿995

78.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.87 ฿650

31.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$99.6 ฿3,258

-15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$44.42 ฿1,453

56.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$415 ฿13.6K

2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$288 ฿9,429

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$816 ฿26.7K

1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$655 ฿21.4K

-21.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,358 ฿77.1K

-13.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,374 ฿44.9K

10.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$770 ฿25.2K

-17.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

-14.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pak Kret: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $415 in Pak Kret. 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 21% higher in Pak Kret, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Pak Kret. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $243 – 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 Pak Kret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pak Kret costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,334 in Pak Kret. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Pak Kret. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Pak Kret – 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 $852, than in Pak Kret at $890. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pak Kret it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $890 in Pak Kret. 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, Pak Kret makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.