Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Permet

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,188 in Permet, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Permet
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Permet Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Permet

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,188

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Permet

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Permet actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,188 in Permet, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Permet $1,188

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,846 in Permet, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Permet $1,846

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,504 in Permet, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Permet $2,504

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Permet, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Permet are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Permet 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$9.85 ALL 793

-78.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$55.3 ALL 4,453

-66.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$11.05 ALL 890

-49.32%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.28 ALL 184

-27.19%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$2.44 ALL 196

-73.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$1.26 ALL 102

-76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$3.51 ALL 282

-33.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.11 ALL 331

-10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$2.17 ALL 175

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$1.21 ALL 97.1

16.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$2.34 ALL 189

-40.60%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$3.72 ALL 299

-36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$12.67 ALL 1,021

30.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$9.30 ALL 749

-71.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$17.19 ALL 1,385

-47.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$1.92 ALL 154

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$2.43 ALL 196

-57.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$2.16 ALL 174

-23.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$1.82 ALL 147

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$1.07 ALL 85.8

15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$1.26 ALL 101

-13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$1.46 ALL 118

-47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.73 ALL 59.0

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$4.81 ALL 387

-14.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$10.30 ALL 830

74.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.64 ALL 132

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$2.10 ALL 170

34.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.48 ALL 38.36

93.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$19.98 ALL 1,610

164.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$3.78 ALL 305

-68.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$3.68 ALL 297

-95.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$18.68 ALL 1,505

-90.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$2.32 ALL 187

-36.64%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$33.6K ALL 2.7M

-37.39%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$29.8K ALL 2.4M

-10.99%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$99.0 ALL 7,977

-36.82%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$18.47 ALL 1,488

-37.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$19.61 ALL 1,580

3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$58.2 ALL 4,691

-34.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$10.00 ALL 806

-34.90%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$341 ALL 27.5K

113.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$8,151 ALL 656.6K

103.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$49.19 ALL 3,963

8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$48.58 ALL 3,914

-48.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$119 ALL 9,553

-23.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$112 ALL 8,993

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$487 ALL 39.2K

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$312 ALL 25.1K

-0.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$703 ALL 56.6K

50.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$466 ALL 37.5K

41.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$1,991 ALL 160.4K

21.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$1,315 ALL 105.9K

22.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.16

7.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Permet: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Permet

$312 26.2% 0.6% $1.9

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Permet

$289 24.4% 22.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Permet

$148 12.4% 36.3% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Permet

$137 11.5% 45.1% $43

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Permet

$180 15.1% 135% $103

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Permet

$44 3.7% 24.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Permet

$78 6.6% 53.7% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $487 in Permet. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $55 in Permet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $289 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Permet

🕒 Local time

15:20 3:20 PM

09:20 9:20 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 80.56 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.48 ALL (100 ALL = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Permet 7,730 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Permet

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Permet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Permet costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,782 in Permet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $487 in Permet. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $341 in Permet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Permet, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,188 in Permet. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,188 in Permet. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.