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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,173 in Paszto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,821 in Paszto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,469 in Paszto, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Paszto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Paszto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Paszto 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$11.72 Ft 3,521

-83.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$48.14 Ft 14.5K

-61.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.21 Ft 2,468

-4.14%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.46 Ft 739

-20.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$1.37 Ft 412

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.99 Ft 298

-67.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.58 Ft 775

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.64 Ft 794

39.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.13 Ft 339

46.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.54 Ft 464

1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.77 Ft 531

-32.77%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.94 Ft 884

-32.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$9.45 Ft 2,840

71.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.67 Ft 1,704

-44.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$11.00 Ft 3,305

-1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.22 Ft 668

19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.93 Ft 581

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.05 Ft 615

-19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$4.19 Ft 1,260

-63.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.41 Ft 423

-5.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.32 Ft 398

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.47 Ft 443

-53.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.53 Ft 158

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$7.37 Ft 2,215

-36.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$4.95 Ft 1,486

243.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.14 Ft 344

59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.20 Ft 360

165.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$1.14 Ft 342

-20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$25.53 Ft 7,672

-26.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$2.85 Ft 858

-50.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.15 Ft 345

16.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$17.29 Ft 5,196

-52.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.70 Ft 511

-24.71%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$31.6K Ft 9.5M

-31.00%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$36.6K Ft 11.0M

-38.84%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$148 Ft 44.5K

-52.41%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$30.04 Ft 9,026

-53.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$24.14 Ft 7,253

-26.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$47.32 Ft 14.2K

-12.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$17.12 Ft 5,143

-60.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$7.90 Ft 2,374

-24.56%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$456 Ft 137.0K

-33.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$6,852 Ft 2.1M

118.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$88.4 Ft 26.6K

-38.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$26.30 Ft 7,903

-0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$94.1 Ft 28.3K

-8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$108 Ft 32.3K

-35.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$444 Ft 133.3K

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$341 Ft 102.4K

-29.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$630 Ft 189.4K

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$530 Ft 159.3K

-3.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$3,052 Ft 917.0K

-33.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$2,593 Ft 779.3K

-42.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$782 Ft 235.1K

-20.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Paszto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $444 in Paszto. 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 Paszto, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Paszto. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Paszto – so Paszto 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 Paszto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paszto costs about 38% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,760 in Paszto. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $456 in Paszto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Paszto – 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 $848, than in Paszto at $1,173. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paszto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,173 in Paszto. 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, Paszto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.