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 $730 per month in Chiclayo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chiclayo is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiclayo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 45% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 PEN 17.00

$1.96 ฿64.0

146.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.64 PEN 118

$18.81 ฿615

78.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 PEN 28.61

$7.92 ฿259

2.65%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PEN 14.86

$1.91 ฿62.6

120.94%

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

$0.79 PEN 2.78

$0.84 ฿27.41

-5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 PEN 1.65

$0.35 ฿11.51

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 PEN 9.22

$2.21 ฿72.1

18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.80

$1.64 ฿53.5

-17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 PEN 5.79

$1.62 ฿53.1

1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 PEN 6.02

$1.18 ฿38.62

44.92%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.39

$2.01 ฿65.8

46.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PEN 21.12

$15.89 ฿520

-62.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 PEN 21.41

$3.01 ฿98.5

101.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 PEN 30.42

$10.77 ฿352

-19.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.95

$2.61 ฿85.5

-24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 PEN 5.55

$1.22 ฿39.88

29.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.80

$1.70 ฿55.7

-36.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.30

$1.58 ฿51.5

-4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.47

$1.32 ฿43.14

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 PEN 5.00

$1.17 ฿38.23

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 PEN 2.32

$0.67 ฿21.98

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.54

$0.56 ฿18.32

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 PEN 15.05

$4.53 ฿148

-5.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 PEN 50.2

$18.20 ฿595

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 PEN 4.53

$1.83 ฿60.0

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PEN 5.62

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 PEN 1.81

$0.89 ฿29.00

-42.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 PEN 96.8

$19.38 ฿634

41.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 PEN 9.25

$1.35 ฿44.20

94.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 PEN 3.96

$1.35 ฿44.05

-16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 PEN 17.24

$8.25 ฿270

-40.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 PEN 4.45

$1.27 ฿41.64

-0.79%

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

$23.8K PEN 83.9K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

12.64%

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

$22.8K PEN 80.1K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

1.22%

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

$38.26 PEN 135

$70.2 ฿2,294

-45.46%

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

$14.89 PEN 52.4

$13.77 ฿450

8.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 PEN 126

$17.60 ฿575

102.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.79 PEN 115

$41.57 ฿1,360

-21.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.81 PEN 119

$6.60 ฿216

412.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.66 PEN 19.93

$5.78 ฿189

-2.08%

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

$223 PEN 786

$306 ฿10.0K

-27.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,485 PEN 12.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-76.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.05 PEN 159

$54.4 ฿1,778

-17.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.63 PEN 125

$26.14 ฿855

36.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 PEN 297

$84.5 ฿2,764

-0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.39 PEN 139

$69.4 ฿2,270

-43.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PEN 445

$424 ฿13.9K

-70.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 PEN 492

$238 ฿7,788

-41.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 PEN 1,128

$825 ฿27.0K

-61.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 PEN 1,291

$515 ฿16.8K

-28.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,103 PEN 3,883

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-46.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,098 PEN 3,866

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-27.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 PEN 1,591

$635 ฿20.8K

-28.83%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Chiclayo versus $424 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 41% 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 $34.00 in Chiclayo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Chiclayo vs $243 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 17% 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 $1,095 per month in Chiclayo and $1,278 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 $223 per month in Chiclayo and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $730 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 $730 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.