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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $784 in Trujillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,170 in Trujillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,557 in Trujillo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Trujillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Trujillo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.21 PEN 10.91

-39.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$13.85 PEN 47.14

34.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.75 PEN 22.96

15.85%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.88 PEN 9.81

-32.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.89 PEN 3.04

-4.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.57 PEN 1.95

-38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.99 PEN 6.77

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.34 PEN 11.37

11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.01 PEN 3.42

69.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.83 PEN 6.24

-10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.14 PEN 3.88

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.85 PEN 13.11

-49.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.53 PEN 22.22

-52.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.62 PEN 25.94

43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.13 PEN 3.85

143.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.58 PEN 1.96

108.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.58 PEN 1.96

179.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.76 PEN 2.58

109.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.93 PEN 3.18

50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.81 PEN 2.74

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.89 PEN 3.03

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.86 PEN 2.94

-38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.05 PEN 13.77

15.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.77 PEN 19.63

223.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.42 PEN 4.83

26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.70 PEN 5.80

90.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.59 PEN 2.00

52.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.72 PEN 56.9

14.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.75 PEN 9.35

-48.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.05 PEN 6.97

-37.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.52 PEN 18.79

42.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.36 PEN 4.62

-6.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

25.54%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

-16.37%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$74.4 PEN 253

-7.11%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.19 PEN 27.85

71.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.99 PEN 71.4

-14.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$35.41 PEN 120

15.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.65 PEN 19.21

23.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.07 PEN 13.84

45.45%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$106 PEN 360

182.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,029 PEN 6,902

637.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$69.7 PEN 237

-21.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$13.96 PEN 47.48

91.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$33.78 PEN 115

151.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$32.69 PEN 111

115.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$366 PEN 1,246

16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$254 PEN 865

-6.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$602 PEN 2,047

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$477 PEN 1,624

7.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,138 PEN 3,872

73.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$834 PEN 2,837

76.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$539 PEN 1,834

14.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

-60.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $366 in Trujillo. 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 15% 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 $14.00 in Trujillo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $160 – making Trujillo 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 Trujillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Trujillo, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,176 in Trujillo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $106 in Trujillo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $784 in Trujillo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Trujillo costs $784 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 Trujillo. 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.