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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,117 in Pascani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,701 in Pascani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,285 in Pascani, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Pascani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Pascani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Pascani 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$12.43 RON 54.2

-84.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$51.4 RON 224

-63.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.21 RON 35.81

-3.53%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.54 RON 15.44

-46.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.94 RON 8.47

-56.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.04 RON 8.87

-82.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.27 RON 14.24

-32.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.37 RON 14.69

12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.54 RON 6.73

6.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.30 RON 5.65

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.78 RON 7.78

-33.71%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.27 RON 14.26

-38.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.80 RON 38.37

80.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.20 RON 31.38

-58.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.11 RON 52.8

-11.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.14 RON 4.98

128.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.71 RON 7.44

-28.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.61 RON 7.00

5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.52 RON 10.99

-37.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 RON 4.48

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.02 RON 4.45

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.86 RON 3.77

-22.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.83 RON 3.61

-32.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.83 RON 25.44

-22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.73 RON 29.36

170.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.11 RON 4.83

64.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.64 RON 7.15

96.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.72 RON 3.14

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$20.16 RON 87.9

-3.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.75 RON 3.28

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.83 RON 3.64

62.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.09 RON 30.92

16.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.65 RON 7.18

-23.03%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.1K RON 122.5K

-24.68%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.2K RON 123.0K

-20.31%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$163 RON 711

-56.96%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.01 RON 34.93

71.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.09 RON 39.65

93.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.67 RON 182

-0.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.25 RON 83.9

-65.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$10.95 RON 47.76

-47.21%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$454 RON 1,979

-32.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,592 RON 28.7K

124.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$65.7 RON 287

-17.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$42.94 RON 187

-39.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$97.7 RON 426

-13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$98.6 RON 430

-29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$386 RON 1,684

9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$292 RON 1,273

-18.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$579 RON 2,525

42.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$435 RON 1,897

18.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,617 RON 7,049

26.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,299 RON 5,663

17.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$801 RON 3,493

-20.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

-35.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pascani: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $386 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 26% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Pascani. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $223 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 31% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,675 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $454 in Pascani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Pascani – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,117 in Pascani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,117 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.