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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,100 in Pascani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Pascani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,235 in Pascani, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Pascani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Pascani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Pascani 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$8.91 RON 40.84

-76.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$44.89 RON 206

-56.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.68 RON 35.16

-26.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.24 RON 10.25

-19.20%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.73 RON 7.94

-55.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.09 RON 5.01

-67.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.25 RON 10.33

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.62 RON 12.01

44.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.31 RON 6.00

56.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.10 RON 5.02

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.81 RON 8.30

-22.65%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.61 RON 16.52

-37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.45 RON 43.29

71.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.35 RON 33.67

-60.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.27 RON 60.8

-29.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.55 RON 7.12

72.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.63 RON 7.47

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.67 RON 7.63

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.79 RON 12.78

-47.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.85 RON 3.91

50.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.94 RON 4.32

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.94 RON 4.31

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.81 RON 3.73

-34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.41 RON 29.35

-34.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$7.82 RON 35.83

133.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.32 RON 6.04

23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.91 RON 8.73

51.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.74 RON 3.39

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$22.96 RON 105

134.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.67 RON 3.09

74.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.70 RON 3.22

-17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.93 RON 31.74

-65.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.53 RON 7.00

-5.23%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.4K RON 134.5K

-28.44%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.8K RON 127.5K

-5.05%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$190 RON 870

-66.50%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$6.76 RON 30.96

90.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.66 RON 44.23

112.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$39.35 RON 180

-0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.28 RON 97.5

-81.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$10.05 RON 46.04

-34.53%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$457 RON 2,094

71.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,133 RON 32.7K

105.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$53.7 RON 246

2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$37.16 RON 170

-33.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$77.8 RON 356

21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$93.0 RON 426

-20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$408 RON 1,871

20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$304 RON 1,393

-5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$639 RON 2,929

39.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$472 RON 2,164

10.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,901 RON 8,710

3.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,412 RON 6,469

2.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$775 RON 3,551

-22.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pascani: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $408 in Pascani. 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 29% higher in Pascani, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Pascani. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Pascani – so Pascani 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 Pascani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pascani costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,650 in Pascani. 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.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $457 in Pascani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Pascani – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Pascani at $1,100. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pascani it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,100 in Pascani. 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, Pascani makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.