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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Chiclayo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,252 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chiclayo is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiclayo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 PEN 16.57

$2.04 ฿68.2

139.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.82 PEN 111

$18.71 ฿624

75.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 PEN 28.05

$7.86 ฿262

5.09%

Cappuccino

$4.26 PEN 14.47

$2.03 ฿67.7

109.85%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.75

$0.80 ฿26.64

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 PEN 1.62

$0.35 ฿11.68

37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 PEN 8.80

$2.14 ฿71.5

21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.69

$1.73 ฿57.6

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 PEN 5.57

$1.57 ฿52.4

4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 PEN 5.59

$1.20 ฿39.99

37.50%

Eggs

$3.02 PEN 10.26

$1.97 ฿65.8

53.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 PEN 21.02

$16.23 ฿541

-61.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 PEN 20.59

$3.06 ฿102

98.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 PEN 29.76

$10.80 ฿360

-18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 PEN 6.48

$2.77 ฿92.3

-31.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 PEN 5.58

$1.17 ฿38.94

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.82

$1.71 ฿57.0

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 PEN 5.37

$1.59 ฿53.2

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$1.39 ฿46.51

-33.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.63

$1.16 ฿38.56

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$0.66 ฿22.05

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.41

$0.52 ฿17.31

36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 PEN 14.95

$4.65 ฿155

-5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 PEN 50.3

$17.78 ฿593

-16.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 PEN 4.54

$1.79 ฿59.6

-25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 PEN 5.20

$3.34 ฿111

-54.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 PEN 1.64

$0.91 ฿30.27

-47.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 PEN 93.4

$18.64 ฿622

47.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 PEN 8.89

$1.41 ฿47.04

85.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 PEN 3.81

$1.34 ฿44.70

-16.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 PEN 16.89

$8.11 ฿270

-38.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PEN 4.20

$1.23 ฿41.16

0.81%

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

$23.8K PEN 80.8K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

11.01%

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

$23.0K PEN 78.1K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

5.39%

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

$38.11 PEN 129

$71.3 ฿2,379

-46.57%

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

$15.06 PEN 51.1

$14.01 ฿467

7.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.95 PEN 119

$17.93 ฿598

94.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.84 PEN 111

$40.82 ฿1,362

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.08 PEN 112

$6.88 ฿230

380.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 PEN 18.38

$5.72 ฿191

-5.42%

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

$219 PEN 744

$308 ฿10.3K

-28.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,387 PEN 11.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-76.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.26 PEN 150

$55.8 ฿1,860

-20.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 PEN 124

$26.04 ฿869

40.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 PEN 280

$84.8 ฿2,829

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.62 PEN 135

$71.0 ฿2,368

-44.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 PEN 422

$423 ฿14.1K

-70.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PEN 471

$242 ฿8,088

-42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PEN 1,099

$797 ฿26.6K

-59.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 PEN 1,249

$507 ฿16.9K

-27.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,863

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-40.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,110 PEN 3,768

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-24.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 PEN 1,629

$595 ฿19.9K

-19.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100.00%

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

Last update for Chiclayo: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $124 in Chiclayo versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 24% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Chiclayo vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Chiclayo 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

Chiclayo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Chiclayo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,120 per month in Chiclayo and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $219 per month in Chiclayo and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $747 in Chiclayo and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiclayo costs $747 versus $852 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 Chiclayo. 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.