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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $682 in Pisco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,055 in Pisco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,429 in Pisco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Pisco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Pisco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Pisco 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.49 PEN 15.07

-53.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$32.63 PEN 109

-39.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.13 PEN 23.89

-20.76%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$3.34 PEN 11.21

-45.81%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.12 PEN 3.77

-36.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.62 PEN 2.07

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.75 PEN 9.21

-18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.57 PEN 15.31

-20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.68 PEN 5.62

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$2.33 PEN 7.81

-35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.27 PEN 4.24

5.51%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.37 PEN 4.60

64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$6.49 PEN 21.75

150.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.94 PEN 16.55

-40.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$6.82 PEN 22.86

45.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.37 PEN 4.58

87.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.01 PEN 3.40

4.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.44 PEN 4.81

11.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.57 PEN 1.92

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.43 PEN 1.45

195.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.86 PEN 2.90

24.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.85 PEN 2.83

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.87 PEN 2.91

-41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$5.80 PEN 19.45

-27.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$9.22 PEN 30.92

93.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.90 PEN 6.36

-11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.48 PEN 8.32

14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.93 PEN 3.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$35.81 PEN 120

50.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$3.98 PEN 13.34

-69.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.14 PEN 7.17

-72.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.29 PEN 24.43

-66.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.72 PEN 5.76

-18.02%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$21.8K PEN 73.2K

-1.80%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$25.9K PEN 86.9K

5.46%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$45.42 PEN 152

40.18%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$16.85 PEN 56.5

-23.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.93 PEN 40.00

69.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$20.56 PEN 68.9

88.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$8.99 PEN 30.14

-55.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$7.32 PEN 24.56

-7.92%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$181 PEN 605

330.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$13.2K PEN 44.1K

11.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$54.2 PEN 182

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$13.39 PEN 44.90

90.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$47.04 PEN 158

100.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$36.00 PEN 121

104.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$164 PEN 551

197.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$132 PEN 444

118.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$146 PEN 488

255.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,813 PEN 6,079

7.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,391 PEN 4,663

6.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$584 PEN 1,957

3.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.94

-37.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pisco: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $164 in Pisco. 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 3% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $33.00 in Pisco. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Pisco – so Pisco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Pisco, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,022 in Pisco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pisco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $181 in Pisco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pisco, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Pisco 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. Pisco costs $682 versus $947 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 Pisco. 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.