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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,436 in Pecs, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,144 in Pecs, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,853 in Pecs, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 34% cheaper than Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Pecs is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$12.59 Ft 3,945

-83.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$58.9 Ft 18.4K

-66.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$9.44 Ft 2,956

-38.67%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.56 Ft 801

-28.52%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.41 Ft 441

-44.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.34 Ft 420

-76.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.86 Ft 582

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.51 Ft 786

47.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.28 Ft 401

58.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.69 Ft 530

-5.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.57 Ft 806

-44.75%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.37 Ft 1,056

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.87 Ft 3,404

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.91 Ft 2,165

-55.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$17.30 Ft 5,419

-42.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.61 Ft 818

0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.39 Ft 750

-53.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.74 Ft 859

-40.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.06 Ft 1,271

-62.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.18 Ft 369

5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.42 Ft 445

-20.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.94 Ft 607

-61.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.57 Ft 178

-12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$8.72 Ft 2,732

-50.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$4.94 Ft 1,548

263.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.42 Ft 444

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.66 Ft 832

9.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.58 Ft 495

-40.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$24.97 Ft 7,821

121.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$3.54 Ft 1,108

-65.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.55 Ft 487

-65.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$25.20 Ft 7,893

-90.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.87 Ft 585

-22.99%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$31.5K Ft 9.9M

-32.72%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$39.1K Ft 12.3M

-30.23%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$179 Ft 56.1K

-63.75%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$21.40 Ft 6,705

-37.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$21.62 Ft 6,773

-3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$49.57 Ft 15.5K

-18.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$18.84 Ft 5,901

-79.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$9.05 Ft 2,836

-25.86%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$455 Ft 142.5K

73.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,932 Ft 2.5M

90.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$104 Ft 32.6K

-46.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$53.5 Ft 16.8K

-53.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$100 Ft 31.4K

-7.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$114 Ft 35.7K

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$651 Ft 204.0K

-25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$458 Ft 143.4K

-37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,023 Ft 320.6K

-11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$728 Ft 228.0K

-27.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,495 Ft 1.1M

-43.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,990 Ft 936.6K

-51.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$1,122 Ft 351.4K

-46.05%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Pecs: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $651 in Pecs. 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 85% higher in Pecs, 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 $59.0 in Pecs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $274 – 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 Pecs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pecs costs about 51% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,154 in Pecs. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $455 in Pecs. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Pecs, 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 $950, than in Pecs at $1,436. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pecs it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,436 in Pecs. 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, Pecs makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.