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 $1,114 in Pascani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,735 in Pascani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,356 in Pascani, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% 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 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.40 RON 56.4

-83.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$49.86 RON 227

-62.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.98 RON 36.27

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.53 RON 16.06

-42.49%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.93 RON 8.79

-58.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.03 RON 9.24

-82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.12 RON 14.20

-31.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.52 RON 16.01

4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.55 RON 7.04

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.29 RON 5.85

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.82 RON 8.28

-34.07%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.29 RON 14.96

-40.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.74 RON 39.73

85.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.04 RON 31.99

-56.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.13 RON 55.1

-10.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.13 RON 5.16

145.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.71 RON 7.79

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.59 RON 7.24

7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.49 RON 11.33

-36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.97 RON 4.40

43.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.07 RON 4.88

8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.94 RON 4.29

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.78 RON 3.53

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.87 RON 26.67

-20.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.82 RON 35.54

127.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.11 RON 5.03

61.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.72 RON 7.81

94.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.71 RON 3.21

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.93 RON 90.6

-6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.77 RON 3.51

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.89 RON 4.05

50.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.88 RON 31.27

17.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.61 RON 7.34

-23.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

-23.43%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.3K RON 128.5K

-22.80%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$162 RON 737

-55.98%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.14 RON 37.03

72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$8.80 RON 40.02

103.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$40.83 RON 186

-0.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$18.93 RON 86.1

-63.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$10.90 RON 49.53

-47.52%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$451 RON 2,050

-31.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,633 RON 30.2K

121.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$66.2 RON 301

-15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.40 RON 197

-40.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$95.4 RON 434

-11.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$99.3 RON 451

-28.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$383 RON 1,740

10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$290 RON 1,318

-16.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$589 RON 2,676

35.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$438 RON 1,993

15.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,133 RON 9,699

-10.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,385 RON 6,295

5.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$761 RON 3,458

-21.77%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pascani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $383 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 28% 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 $50.0 in Pascani. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $224 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,671 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $451 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Pascani at $1,114. 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 $852 versus $1,114 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.