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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $633 per month in Iquitos vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Iquitos vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,633 per month in Iquitos vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iquitos is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iquitos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos 53% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 PEN 14.30

$1.98 ฿64.3

112.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 PEN 123

$18.80 ฿612

93.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 PEN 23.65

$7.75 ฿252

-10.19%

Cappuccino

$3.29 PEN 11.18

$1.92 ฿62.5

71.35%

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

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$0.79 ฿25.79

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 PEN 3.20

$0.36 ฿11.62

161.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 PEN 9.67

$2.21 ฿72.1

28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$3.66 ฿119

86.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.55

$1.65 ฿53.8

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 PEN 7.32

$1.63 ฿53.2

31.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

Eggs

$2.41 PEN 8.20

$2.00 ฿65.1

20.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 PEN 10.56

$3.03 ฿98.5

2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PEN 2.87

$0.56 ฿18.13

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$33.11 PEN 113

$70.5 ฿2,298

-53.06%

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

$10.73 PEN 36.48

$13.68 ฿445

-21.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.29 PEN 28.18

$17.45 ฿568

-52.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.82 PEN 94.6

$41.33 ฿1,346

-32.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PEN 28.77

$6.96 ฿227

21.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 PEN 19.07

$5.77 ฿188

-2.77%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,698 PEN 9,171

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-81.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 PEN 284

$55.8 ฿1,817

49.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.64 PEN 114

$26.21 ฿854

28.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.23 PEN 167

$85.8 ฿2,793

-42.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.79 PEN 84.3

$72.2 ฿2,353

-65.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 PEN 1,147

$430 ฿14.0K

-21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 864

$239 ฿7,774

6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 PEN 2,862

$817 ฿26.6K

3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 PEN 2,381

$511 ฿16.6K

37.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 PEN 1,967

$619 ฿20.2K

-6.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Iquitos: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Iquitos versus $430 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 7% 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 $36.00 in Iquitos versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $73.0 in Iquitos vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Iquitos 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Iquitos, 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 $950 per month in Iquitos and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $633 in Iquitos and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 229% 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 $633 in Iquitos and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iquitos costs $633 versus $869 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 Iquitos. 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.