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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $613 in Piura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,028 in Piura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,443 in Piura, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Piura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Piura are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Piura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$2.82 PEN 9.71

-30.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$11.01 PEN 37.86

67.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.47 PEN 18.82

37.11%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$3.36 PEN 11.55

-42.56%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.63 PEN 5.60

-52.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.53 PEN 1.81

-39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.21 PEN 7.60

-2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.83 PEN 9.75

31.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.12 PEN 3.87

52.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.14 PEN 10.80

-50.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.41 PEN 4.86

-16.31%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.11 PEN 7.26

-6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.28 PEN 28.48

93.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$7.04 PEN 24.21

-54.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$9.39 PEN 32.32

16.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.35 PEN 4.66

94.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$0.81 PEN 2.80

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$0.81 PEN 2.78

103.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.14 PEN 3.93

35.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.27 PEN 4.37

8.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.57 PEN 1.97

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.57 PEN 1.97

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.81 PEN 2.77

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$8.17 PEN 28.09

-44.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$11.04 PEN 37.99

65.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.83 PEN 6.30

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.83 PEN 9.73

12.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.41 PEN 1.39

119.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.65 PEN 5.68

-14.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.61 PEN 5.53

-18.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.50 PEN 18.92

47.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.40 PEN 4.82

-8.57%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$39.62 PEN 136

74.66%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$8.40 PEN 28.89

66.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$27.66 PEN 95.1

52.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$2.27 PEN 7.79

160.79%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$188 PEN 645

59.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$2,219 PEN 7,634

569.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$42.46 PEN 146

32.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$12.62 PEN 43.40

113.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$55.6 PEN 191

52.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$69.3 PEN 238

3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$138 PEN 476

214.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$126 PEN 434

90.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$334 PEN 1,149

138.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$386 PEN 1,327

29.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$3,692 PEN 12.7K

-45.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Piura: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $138 in Piura. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Piura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $219 – making Piura 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Piura, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $920 in Piura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piura, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $11.00 in Piura. 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $613 in Piura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $613 versus $845 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 Piura. 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.