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 $845 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,252 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,658 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.35 ₱83.3

45.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$14.91 ₱920

26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.03 ₱187

161.39%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.94 ₱57.9

103.19%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.46 ₱28.39

82.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.26 ₱16.01

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.36 ₱83.6

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.16 ₱133

75.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.21 ₱74.6

35.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.93 ₱57.3

74.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.83 ₱51.0

42.17%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.27 ₱140

-11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.92 ₱489

100.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.38 ₱270

-31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.74 ₱478

39.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$4.46 ₱275

-41.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.00 ₱123

-39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.59 ₱160

-34.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.28 ₱141

-30.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$3.39 ₱209

-61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.84 ₱175

-58.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.13 ₱69.6

-40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.00 ₱62.0

-44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.96 ₱182

53.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.04 ₱496

126.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.25 ₱77.1

46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.30 ₱142

40.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.28 ₱17.43

217.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.77 ₱47.37

75.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.13 ₱7.73

938.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.50 ₱216

135.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.11 ₱68.4

14.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$33.3K ₱2.1M

-36.53%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$22.1K ₱1.4M

1.90%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$173 ₱10.7K

-59.41%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$26.91 ₱1,660

-48.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$35.75 ₱2,205

-50.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.68 ₱2,077

23.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.50 ₱278

46.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.01 ₱494

-27.84%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$153 ₱9,446

99.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,366 ₱269.3K

239.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$60.6 ₱3,741

-10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$35.42 ₱2,185

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.7 ₱5,226

-0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$53.4 ₱3,291

30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$271 ₱16.7K

56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$180 ₱11.1K

32.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$588 ₱36.3K

40.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$400 ₱24.7K

28.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,066 ₱127.5K

-0.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $271 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: $243 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,268 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 $845 in Pangasinan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pangasinan costs $845 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.