Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pingtung city Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pingtung city

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $897 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,476 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,054 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Pingtung city, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Pingtung city are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Pingtung city 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.50 NT$175

-62.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$31.63 NT$1,007

-38.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.74 NT$151

19.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.83 NT$90.2

-36.04%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.99 NT$31.57

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.72 NT$22.76

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.55 NT$49.50

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.51 NT$79.7

51.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$3.31 NT$105

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.26 NT$71.9

-33.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.90 NT$92.5

-51.72%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.59 NT$82.3

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$15.16 NT$483

6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$8.00 NT$255

-63.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$15.16 NT$482

-37.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$4.44 NT$141

-39.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.96 NT$62.5

-44.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.79 NT$57.0

-9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$3.13 NT$99.8

-53.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.24 NT$39.36

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.95 NT$62.0

-45.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.43 NT$77.4

-70.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.90 NT$28.73

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.76 NT$120

12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$16.00 NT$509

14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.63 NT$51.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.15 NT$68.3

34.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.46 NT$14.59

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.61 NT$83.0

-55.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.76 NT$24.25

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$6.13 NT$195

-61.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.04 NT$33.11

39.42%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-38.10%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$23.9K NT$760.2K

10.65%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$110 NT$3,510

-42.28%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$14.77 NT$470

-12.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$26.72 NT$851

-23.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$9.99 NT$318

-34.13%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$347 NT$11.0K

125.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$14.1K NT$447.6K

4.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$68.7 NT$2,187

-19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$34.58 NT$1,101

-28.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$86.0 NT$2,737

9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$100 NT$3,194

-26.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$247 NT$7,876

98.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$155 NT$4,931

86.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$730 NT$23.2K

22.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$374 NT$11.9K

39.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,962 NT$62.5K

-69.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.27

145.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pingtung city: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $247 in Pingtung city. 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 226% higher in Pingtung city, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Pingtung city. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $338 – 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 Pingtung city: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Pingtung city, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,346 in Pingtung city. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pingtung city, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $32.00 in Pingtung city. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Pingtung city it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pingtung city costs $897 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Pingtung city. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.