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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $846 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,258 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,670 in Pangasinan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Pangasinan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$1.36 ₱83.5

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$14.97 ₱919

24.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$3.15 ₱193

149.52%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.99 ₱60.7

105.05%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.45 ₱27.92

77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.28 ₱17.39

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.35 ₱82.8

58.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.08 ₱128

76.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.27 ₱78.0

36.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.92 ₱56.7

70.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.88 ₱53.8

36.36%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.26 ₱139

-12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$7.92 ₱486

104.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.56 ₱280

-32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$7.71 ₱474

40.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$4.38 ₱269

-36.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.91 ₱117

-38.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$2.73 ₱167

-37.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.27 ₱139

-29.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$3.30 ₱203

-57.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.80 ₱172

-58.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.14 ₱69.9

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.93 ₱57.4

-44.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.95 ₱181

57.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$8.09 ₱497

119.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.25 ₱76.5

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.33 ₱143

43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.26 ₱15.81

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.81 ₱49.86

74.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.14 ₱8.30

857.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$3.63 ₱223

123.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.11 ₱67.9

10.81%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$34.2K ₱2.1M

-37.28%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-0.94%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$172 ₱10.5K

-58.48%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$27.12 ₱1,665

-48.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$36.22 ₱2,224

-50.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$34.39 ₱2,111

18.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$4.35 ₱267

58.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.87 ₱484

-27.32%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$150 ₱9,202

105.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$4,304 ₱264.3K

241.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$59.4 ₱3,645

-6.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$35.21 ₱2,162

-26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$85.3 ₱5,235

-0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$52.1 ₱3,200

36.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$269 ₱16.5K

57.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$174 ₱10.7K

39.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$594 ₱36.5K

34.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$400 ₱24.5K

26.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$2,147 ₱131.8K

-10.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$880 ₱54.0K

66.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $269 in Pangasinan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Pangasinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $218 – making Pangasinan 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 Pangasinan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Pangasinan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,269 in Pangasinan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pangasinan, 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 $15.00 in Pangasinan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $846 in Pangasinan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pangasinan costs $846 versus $852 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 Pangasinan. 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.