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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,388 in Paszto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,141 in Paszto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,893 in Paszto, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 33% cheaper than Paszto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Paszto is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$12.69 Ft 4,038

-83.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$58.0 Ft 18.4K

-66.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.26 Ft 2,946

-38.77%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.46 Ft 782

-26.42%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.34 Ft 426

-42.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.33 Ft 423

-73.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.83 Ft 582

20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.47 Ft 784

53.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.27 Ft 405

61.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.64 Ft 522

-7.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.45 Ft 779

-42.86%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.34 Ft 1,061

-32.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.44 Ft 3,321

55.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$7.03 Ft 2,235

-58.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.56 Ft 5,267

-43.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.54 Ft 808

5.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.39 Ft 760

-54.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.75 Ft 875

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.03 Ft 1,283

-63.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.18 Ft 376

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.46 Ft 463

-27.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.92 Ft 611

-62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.60 Ft 191

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.57 Ft 2,725

-50.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.65 Ft 1,480

293.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.36 Ft 434

19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.67 Ft 848

8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.29 Ft 409

-31.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$31.54 Ft 10.0K

70.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.53 Ft 1,124

-66.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.56 Ft 498

-62.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$25.78 Ft 8,201

-90.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.91 Ft 608

-24.08%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$31.8K Ft 10.1M

-33.98%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$38.1K Ft 12.1M

-30.58%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$178 Ft 56.6K

-64.20%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$21.15 Ft 6,727

-39.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$21.49 Ft 6,836

-4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$46.45 Ft 14.8K

-16.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$18.39 Ft 5,849

-78.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$9.27 Ft 2,950

-29.02%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$443 Ft 140.9K

76.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,811 Ft 2.5M

87.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$103 Ft 32.8K

-46.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$53.1 Ft 16.9K

-53.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$100 Ft 31.9K

-6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$115 Ft 36.6K

-35.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$571 Ft 181.7K

-14.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$458 Ft 145.8K

-37.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$864 Ft 275.0K

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$733 Ft 233.2K

-28.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$3,580 Ft 1.1M

-44.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,987 Ft 950.1K

-51.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$750 Ft 238.7K

-19.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Paszto: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $571 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 25% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $58.0 in Paszto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $269 – making Chiang Mai 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 Paszto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paszto costs about 49% 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 $2,083 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $443 in Paszto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Paszto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Paszto at $1,388. 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 $932 versus $1,388 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.