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

Name: Phetchabun
Address: Phetchabun, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $882 in Phetchabun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,456 in Phetchabun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,030 in Phetchabun, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Phetchabun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Phetchabun are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Phetchabun 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.87 ฿61.2

3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.86 ฿910

-33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.51 ฿212

20.12%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.27 ฿41.37

53.54%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.72 ฿23.47

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.24 ฿7.85

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.45 ฿80.0

-13.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.66 ฿120

1.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.70 ฿55.5

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.33 ฿43.57

22.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.26 ฿41.10

-9.52%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.14 ฿70.0

-9.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$18.70 ฿611

-13.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.96 ฿96.6

5.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.58 ฿346

3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.22 ฿105

-14.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.27 ฿41.36

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.89 ฿61.7

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.51 ฿49.44

5.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.49 ฿48.60

-6.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.21 ฿39.38

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.98 ฿32.06

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.48 ฿15.64

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.45 ฿145

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.35 ฿501

21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.82 ฿59.3

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.75 ฿90.0

17.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.90 ฿29.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.09 ฿35.75

29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.18 ฿38.55

9.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.01 ฿196

30.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.23 ฿40.26

3.25%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.9K ฿910.1K

-23.65%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.7K ฿904.0K

-19.75%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$77.6 ฿2,533

-10.93%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.91 ฿454

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$18.85 ฿616

-4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$48.94 ฿1,598

-16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.38 ฿404

-43.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.89 ฿225

-14.08%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$296 ฿9,668

1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,735 ฿318.0K

53.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$33.96 ฿1,109

61.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$34.20 ฿1,117

-21.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$101 ฿3,303

-15.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$70.8 ฿2,311

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$429 ฿14.0K

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$281 ฿9,190

-15.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$799 ฿26.1K

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$646 ฿21.1K

-20.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,725 ฿56.4K

14.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,300 ฿42.4K

13.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phetchabun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $429 in Phetchabun. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Phetchabun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $247 – 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 Phetchabun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phetchabun costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,323 in Phetchabun. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Phetchabun. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Phetchabun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $882 in Phetchabun, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $882 in Phetchabun. 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, Phetchabun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.