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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $468 per month in Moquegua vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $784 per month in Moquegua vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,099 per month in Moquegua vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moquegua is about 49% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Moquegua and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Moquegua 66% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 PEN 12.37

$2.11 ฿69.1

74.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.34 PEN 98.4

$19.75 ฿648

48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 PEN 20.28

$5.85 ฿192

3.42%

Cappuccino

$2.47 PEN 8.26

$1.76 ฿57.8

40.34%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.68

$0.74 ฿24.37

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 PEN 1.40

$0.33 ฿10.90

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 PEN 7.80

$2.47 ฿81.0

-5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.21

$3.88 ฿127

55.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$1.90 ฿62.4

-27.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 PEN 4.77

$1.67 ฿54.7

-14.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$1.35 ฿44.24

11.85%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.78

$2.14 ฿70.2

8.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 PEN 21.81

$15.89 ฿521

-59.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 PEN 15.66

$2.83 ฿92.9

65.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 PEN 24.98

$10.53 ฿345

-29.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.07

$2.38 ฿78.2

-23.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.26

$1.07 ฿35.01

18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.93

$1.52 ฿49.79

-23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$1.50 ฿49.30

-32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$1.28 ฿41.96

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$1.10 ฿36.17

-37.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.88

$0.69 ฿22.54

-18.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$0.49 ฿16.18

55.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 PEN 16.98

$4.27 ฿140

18.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 PEN 17.79

$16.78 ฿550

-68.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.28

$1.66 ฿54.4

84.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 PEN 8.00

$2.81 ฿92.3

-14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 PEN 7.08

$1.20 ฿39.24

75.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.84

$0.54 ฿17.78

277.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.04 PEN 43.72

$2.37 ฿77.9

450.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.18

$1.43 ฿46.88

8.39%

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

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

-8.74%

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

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-3.65%

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

$24.11 PEN 80.8

$64.7 ฿2,124

-62.76%

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

$10.20 PEN 34.20

$13.19 ฿433

-22.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.71 PEN 79.5

$19.44 ฿638

21.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 PEN 24.35

$6.62 ฿217

9.67%

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

$77.3 PEN 259

$805 ฿26.4K

-90.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-54.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 PEN 166

$54.8 ฿1,796

-9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.22 PEN 91.3

$25.43 ฿834

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 PEN 233

$91.9 ฿3,015

-24.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 PEN 202

$74.7 ฿2,449

-19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

169.30%

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

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Moquegua versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Moquegua vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Moquegua 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 97% more than Moquegua, 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 $701 per month in Moquegua and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Moquegua and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moquegua, where all-in costs run around $468, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Moquegua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moquegua costs $468 versus $920 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 Moquegua. 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.