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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $530 in Pisco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $822 in Pisco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,114 in Pisco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Pisco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Pisco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Pisco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.16 PEN 7.33

-10.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$11.16 PEN 37.98

67.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.31 PEN 11.27

136.25%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.40 PEN 4.76

39.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.66 PEN 2.24

28.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.27 PEN 0.91

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.93 PEN 6.57

10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.94 PEN 13.42

-5.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.48 PEN 5.04

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.63 PEN 8.94

-38.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.34 PEN 4.56

-14.93%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.97 PEN 10.11

-35.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.76 PEN 26.39

108.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.77 PEN 19.64

-45.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.66 PEN 36.27

2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.05 PEN 6.98

34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.11 PEN 3.78

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.09 PEN 3.70

48.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.25 PEN 4.27

27.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.04 PEN 3.53

34.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.95 PEN 3.24

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.82 PEN 2.79

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.86 PEN 2.92

-38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.44 PEN 18.50

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.94 PEN 30.43

108.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.70 PEN 5.79

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.04 PEN 10.35

6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.38 PEN 11.50

-58.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.21 PEN 7.52

-41.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.38 PEN 28.50

-6.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.35 PEN 4.59

-5.93%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

7.62%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

-10.45%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$57.2 PEN 194

20.82%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$12.41 PEN 42.22

13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.50 PEN 80.0

-23.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.91 PEN 23.50

-14.33%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$215 PEN 731

39.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

85.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$49.79 PEN 169

9.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.46 PEN 121

-24.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$88.9 PEN 303

-4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$91.0 PEN 310

-22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,809 PEN 6,154

9.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,335 PEN 4,542

10.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$583 PEN 1,985

5.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

-50.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pisco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 6% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in Pisco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $221 – making Pisco 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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Pisco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. 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 $795 in Pisco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $11.00 in Pisco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $530 in Pisco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $530 versus $866 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.