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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Lima vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Lima vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,089 per month in Lima vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lima costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lima and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lima 27% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$1.94 ฿63.6

111.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$18.64 ฿609

76.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$7.82 ฿256

-10.49%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$1.95 ฿63.9

30.26%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$0.85 ฿27.80

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.35 ฿11.60

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$2.13 ฿69.7

5.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.08

$3.73 ฿122

2.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.71 ฿56.0

-17.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$1.63 ฿53.3

67.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.14 ฿37.18

14.04%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$1.93 ฿63.2

53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.12

$16.21 ฿530

-50.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.31

$3.12 ฿102

81.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.01

$10.90 ฿356

-2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.88

$2.75 ฿90.1

-26.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.66

$1.21 ฿39.56

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.86

$1.62 ฿53.0

-30.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$1.59 ฿51.9

-21.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.52

$1.40 ฿45.75

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$1.17 ฿38.20

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$0.66 ฿21.62

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.53 ฿17.24

66.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$4.69 ฿153

16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$18.66 ฿610

-51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$1.80 ฿58.8

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.48

$3.23 ฿106

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.90 ฿29.28

-25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

$19.21 ฿628

59.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$1.41 ฿45.96

139.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$1.29 ฿42.16

71.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.97

$7.84 ฿256

4.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$1.27 ฿41.62

6.30%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-9.22%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

9.46%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$69.1 ฿2,258

-17.89%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.01

$14.08 ฿460

-10.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$18.00 ฿588

33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

$41.06 ฿1,342

-26.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

$6.96 ฿227

172.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$5.92 ฿193

13.85%

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

$218 PEN 740

$299 ฿9,775

-27.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-47.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$54.7 ฿1,788

-8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$26.77 ฿875

36.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$85.0 ฿2,778

5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$70.6 ฿2,308

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,063

$428 ฿14.0K

41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,190

$237 ฿7,759

47.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,525

$801 ฿26.2K

29.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,136

$515 ฿16.9K

21.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,056

$1,975 ฿64.5K

19.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,881

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-2.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

$617 ฿20.2K

1.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

102.20%

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

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Lima versus $428 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 1% higher in Lima, 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 Lima versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Lima vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Lima 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

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

Lima costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,477 per month in Lima and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Lima and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Lima – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Lima at $985. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $985 in Lima. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.