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 $875 in Pak Kret, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Pak Kret, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,021 in Pak Kret, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Pak Kret, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.14 ฿105

-35.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$30.96 ฿1,033

-39.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.33 ฿211

24.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.09 ฿69.6

-2.87%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.68 ฿22.68

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.29 ฿9.70

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.51 ฿83.9

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.40 ฿80.0

52.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.68 ฿56.0

2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.35 ฿45.04

16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.48 ฿49.43

-18.92%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.26 ฿75.5

-12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$15.56 ฿519

4.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.44 ฿115

-11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$9.59 ฿320

12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.28 ฿110

-15.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.28 ฿42.64

-8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.88 ฿62.8

-9.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.44 ฿48.09

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.53 ฿51.1

-9.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.22 ฿40.65

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.98 ฿32.63

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.50 ฿16.59

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.52 ฿151

2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$16.48 ฿550

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.82 ฿60.7

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.29 ฿76.3

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.89 ฿29.77

2.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.06 ฿35.51

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.18 ฿39.48

13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.37 ฿112

140.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.29 ฿42.88

-4.65%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.6K ฿886.0K

-19.29%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.2K ฿905.9K

-19.63%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$79.6 ฿2,655

-10.39%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$12.49 ฿417

12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$17.11 ฿571

4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$49.59 ฿1,654

-17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$12.42 ฿414

-44.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.55 ฿252

-24.24%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$297 ฿9,891

3.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$9,401 ฿313.6K

56.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$30.36 ฿1,013

83.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.57 ฿653

33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$98.8 ฿3,295

-14.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$43.07 ฿1,437

64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$288 ฿9,600

-15.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$819 ฿27.3K

-2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$647 ฿21.6K

-21.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,796 ฿59.9K

6.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,560 ฿52.0K

-6.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$735 ฿24.5K

-18.99%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pak Kret: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $423 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 23% 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. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $240 in Pak Kret – so Pak Kret 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 Pak Kret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pak Kret costs about 3% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,313 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 2% cheaper in Pak Kret – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $875 in Pak Kret, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $875 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.