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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Paks vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,661 per month in Paks vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,174 per month in Paks vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Paks costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Paks and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Paks 15% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 Ft 2,571

$1.98 ฿64.3

329.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.11 Ft 8,808

$18.80 ฿612

54.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 Ft 2,023

$7.75 ฿252

-13.68%

Cappuccino

$0.82 Ft 248

$1.92 ฿62.5

-57.29%

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

$1.06 Ft 321

$0.79 ฿25.79

34.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 Ft 219

$0.36 ฿11.62

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 Ft 338

$2.21 ฿72.1

-49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 397

$3.66 ฿119

-64.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 Ft 329

$1.65 ฿53.8

-33.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Ft 466

$1.63 ฿53.2

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 557

$1.19 ฿38.86

54.62%

Eggs

$2.95 Ft 893

$2.00 ฿65.1

47.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 Ft 2,902

$15.98 ฿520

-39.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 Ft 1,688

$3.03 ฿98.5

84.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 Ft 3,324

$10.86 ฿354

1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 614

$2.76 ฿90.0

-26.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 Ft 591

$1.18 ฿38.42

65.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 629

$1.64 ฿53.5

26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 Ft 1,273

$1.52 ฿49.51

176.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Ft 419

$1.38 ฿45.10

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Ft 391

$1.19 ฿38.84

8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 Ft 446

$0.70 ฿22.86

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Ft 149

$0.56 ฿18.13

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.24 Ft 2,191

$4.58 ฿149

58.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 Ft 2,001

$16.56 ฿539

-60.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 Ft 344

$1.83 ฿59.5

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 363

$3.20 ฿104

-62.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 354

$0.88 ฿28.56

32.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.58 Ft 7,437

$18.72 ฿610

31.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 Ft 856

$1.36 ฿44.16

108.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 Ft 388

$1.34 ฿43.65

-4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.35 Ft 5,250

$7.84 ฿256

121.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 533

$1.23 ฿39.92

43.09%

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

$31.3K Ft 9.5M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

44.73%

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

$36.2K Ft 11.0M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

60.63%

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

$145 Ft 43.8K

$70.5 ฿2,298

105.06%

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

$30.24 Ft 9,149

$13.68 ฿445

121.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 Ft 7,573

$17.45 ฿568

43.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 Ft 14.0K

$41.33 ฿1,346

11.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 Ft 5,047

$6.96 ฿227

139.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 Ft 2,372

$5.77 ฿188

35.88%

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

$460 Ft 139.3K

$307 ฿10.0K

49.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,756 Ft 2.0M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-53.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 Ft 26.5K

$55.8 ฿1,817

56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 Ft 7,909

$26.21 ฿854

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 Ft 28.7K

$85.8 ฿2,793

10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 31.7K

$72.2 ฿2,353

44.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 Ft 137.3K

$430 ฿14.0K

5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 Ft 103.6K

$239 ฿7,774

43.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 Ft 189.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

-23.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 Ft 162.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

5.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,305 Ft 999.9K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

66.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 Ft 753.9K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

67.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,361 Ft 411.7K

$619 ฿20.2K

119.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Paks: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Paks 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 120% higher in Paks, 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 $29.00 in Paks versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Paks vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Paks 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

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

Paks costs about 32% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Paks 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $460 per month in Paks and $307 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 7% cheaper in Paks – 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 $869, than in Paks at $1,148. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paks it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,148 in Paks. 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, Paks makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.