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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $801 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,188 in Pangasinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,576 in Pangasinan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Pangasinan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Pangasinan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Pangasinan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$1.17 ₱73.3

79.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$13.62 ₱854

45.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$4.02 ₱252

44.03%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$2.71 ₱170

-32.47%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$1.13 ₱71.0

-30.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.45 ₱28.50

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$0.83 ₱52.2

181.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.11 ₱195

18.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.09 ₱68.2

86.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$0.83 ₱52.1

92.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$0.79 ₱49.76

79.75%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$2.47 ₱155

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.42 ₱465

114.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.00 ₱314

-38.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$6.83 ₱428

44.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$2.27 ₱143

15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$1.95 ₱122

-43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$3.30 ₱207

-50.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.33 ₱146

-34.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$3.66 ₱230

-66.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$3.49 ₱219

-67.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$1.13 ₱70.9

-34.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.56 ₱35.28

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.71 ₱170

57.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$8.17 ₱513

119.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.35 ₱84.6

25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.06 ₱129

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$0.25 ₱15.51

276.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$11.08 ₱695

399.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$0.61 ₱38.38

101.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.23 ₱14.46

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$1.93 ₱121

24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.00 ₱62.8

44.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

-2.01%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

39.36%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$154 ₱9,674

-57.91%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$15.90 ₱997

-16.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$31.90 ₱2,000

-34.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$32.12 ₱2,014

25.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$4.85 ₱304

-18.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.11 ₱446

-5.63%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$132 ₱8,301

494.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$7,555 ₱473.7K

100.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$32.11 ₱2,013

75.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$19.51 ₱1,223

27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$82.5 ₱5,175

12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$55.1 ₱3,452

36.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$263 ₱16.5K

83.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$171 ₱10.7K

68.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$508 ₱31.9K

79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$353 ₱22.1K

50.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$2,582 ₱161.9K

-23.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$1,058 ₱66.4K

37.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.5

-25.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Pangasinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $204 – 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 19% more than Pangasinan, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,201 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.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $132 in Pangasinan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pangasinan, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Pangasinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pangasinan costs $801 versus $950 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.