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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $836 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,267 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,699 in Pangasinan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Pangasinan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Pangasinan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Pangasinan 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.31 ₱79.3

51.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$15.15 ₱920

24.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.15 ₱191

146.03%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.94 ₱57.2

104.26%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.42 ₱25.75

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.26 ₱15.59

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.39 ₱84.6

58.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.08 ₱127

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.26 ₱76.7

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.87 ₱53.0

87.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.81 ₱49.17

46.91%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.24 ₱136

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.23 ₱500

94.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.43 ₱269

-31.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.98 ₱484

36.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$4.57 ₱278

-39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.00 ₱122

-41.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.69 ₱163

-39.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.25 ₱137

-32.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$3.28 ₱199

-57.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.86 ₱174

-58.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.08 ₱65.7

-35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.00 ₱60.9

-44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.86 ₱174

60.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.21 ₱498

101.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.24 ₱75.3

47.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.24 ₱136

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.26 ₱15.67

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.81 ₱49.24

67.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.14 ₱8.36

857.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.45 ₱210

127.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.15 ₱69.8

6.96%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$33.5K ₱2.0M

-35.43%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$21.8K ₱1.3M

3.66%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$173 ₱10.5K

-59.26%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$27.38 ₱1,663

-50.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$35.46 ₱2,153

-50.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$34.45 ₱2,092

19.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.33 ₱263

60.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$8.22 ₱499

-29.81%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$151 ₱9,173

103.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,392 ₱266.7K

232.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$58.4 ₱3,545

-4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$35.92 ₱2,181

-27.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$85.5 ₱5,190

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$52.8 ₱3,204

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$263 ₱16.0K

63.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$177 ₱10.8K

34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$590 ₱35.8K

38.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$400 ₱24.3K

27.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,469 ₱149.9K

-19.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$965 ₱58.6K

53.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $263 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: $241 vs $220 – 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 4% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,253 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 9% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $836 in Pangasinan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pangasinan costs $836 versus $869 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.