😐A single person spends $1,876 per month in Pacov vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,743 per month in Pacov vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Pacov vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Pacov costs about 98% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Pacov sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.48Kč 197
$2.08฿68.6
355.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.52Kč 946
$19.64฿646
131.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.96Kč 269
$5.65฿186
129.38%
Cappuccino
$3.10Kč 64.4
$1.81฿59.4
71.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90Kč 60.4
$0.71฿23.45
308.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39Kč 28.80
$0.32฿10.38
334.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.43Kč 29.65
$2.24฿73.6
-36.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55Kč 115
$3.63฿119
52.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71Kč 35.50
$1.96฿64.4
-12.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.45Kč 30.08
$1.50฿49.39
-3.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.18Kč 66.0
$1.34฿43.93
137.31%
Eggs
$5.79Kč 120
$2.26฿74.5
156.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.43Kč 258
$16.26฿535
-23.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.66Kč 201
$2.95฿97.1
227.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.68Kč 471
$9.94฿327
128.17%
Apples(1kg)
$1.47Kč 30.58
$2.57฿84.6
-42.80%
Banana(1kg)
$2.80Kč 58.3
$1.06฿34.73
164.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.02Kč 83.6
$1.61฿53.0
149.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.49Kč 72.5
$1.52฿49.97
129.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08Kč 22.50
$1.27฿41.77
-14.96%
Onion(1kg)
$2.22Kč 46.08
$1.07฿35.06
107.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35Kč 28.05
$0.72฿23.68
87.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80Kč 16.59
$0.51฿16.72
56.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.76Kč 78.2
$4.19฿138
-10.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.23Kč 150
$17.87฿587
-59.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82Kč 17.07
$1.69฿55.7
-51.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80Kč 37.46
$2.84฿93.3
-36.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22Kč 25.33
$0.93฿30.43
31.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.84Kč 537
$53.9฿1,771
-52.02%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.47Kč 51.4
$1.23฿40.59
100.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.94Kč 19.51
$0.58฿18.96
62.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.84Kč 600
$2.42฿79.7
1091.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.87Kč 38.85
$1.41฿46.43
32.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3KKč 670.9K
$21.4K฿705.1K
50.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6KKč 656.7K
$27.3K฿898.7K
15.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$297Kč 6,165
$63.7฿2,093
365.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.56Kč 490
$12.85฿423
83.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.65Kč 409
$20.22฿665
-2.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$103Kč 2,140
$38.74฿1,274
165.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.06Kč 375
$3.97฿130
354.91%
Cinema Ticket
$14.22Kč 295
$6.74฿222
110.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$450Kč 9,344
$778฿25.6K
-42.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.9KKč 227.0K
$14.6K฿480.4K
-25.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$121Kč 2,507
$54.3฿1,785
122.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$77.2Kč 1,605
$25.45฿837
203.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$178Kč 3,695
$94.3฿3,102
88.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128Kč 2,662
$73.4฿2,415
74.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$741Kč 15.4K
$490฿16.1K
51.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$624Kč 13.0K
$289฿9,512
115.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,237Kč 25.7K
$894฿29.4K
38.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$971Kč 20.2K
$517฿17.0K
87.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,808Kč 99.9K
$1,955฿64.3K
145.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,729Kč 98.3K
$1,477฿48.6K
220.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pacov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,197Kč 24.9K
$602฿19.8K
98.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.85
5.57
40.93%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pacov: August 30, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Pacov versus $490 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 99% higher in Pacov, 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 $46.00 in Pacov versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Pacov vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pacov or Chiang Mai?
Pacov costs about 98% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Pacov and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,813 per month in Pacov and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Pacov or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Pacov and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Pacov and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Pacov or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Pacov, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Pacov or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Pacov at $1,876. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pacov it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Pacov or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,876 in Pacov. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Pacov compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Pacov or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pacov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.