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 $1,143 per month in Paks vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,672 per month in Paks vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Paks vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Paks costs about 34% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.40 Ft 2,622

$1.96 ฿64.0

328.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.60 Ft 8,925

$18.81 ฿615

52.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 Ft 2,193

$7.92 ฿259

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$0.87 Ft 272

$1.91 ฿62.6

-54.45%

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

$1.08 Ft 337

$0.84 ฿27.41

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Ft 223

$0.35 ฿11.51

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 Ft 351

$2.21 ฿72.1

-49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 Ft 412

$3.80 ฿124

-65.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Ft 338

$1.64 ฿53.5

-34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 Ft 477

$1.62 ฿53.1

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 Ft 561

$1.18 ฿38.62

52.54%

Eggs

$2.86 Ft 892

$2.01 ฿65.8

42.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 Ft 2,958

$15.89 ฿520

-40.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 Ft 1,750

$3.01 ฿98.5

86.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 Ft 3,501

$10.77 ฿352

4.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 634

$2.61 ฿85.5

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Ft 613

$1.22 ฿39.88

61.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 Ft 660

$1.70 ฿55.7

24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 Ft 1,315

$1.58 ฿51.5

166.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Ft 432

$1.32 ฿43.14

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Ft 403

$1.17 ฿38.23

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 463

$0.67 ฿21.98

120.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 166

$0.56 ฿18.32

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 Ft 2,313

$4.53 ฿148

63.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 Ft 2,015

$18.20 ฿595

-64.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 Ft 354

$1.83 ฿60.0

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 Ft 384

$3.23 ฿106

-61.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 Ft 348

$0.89 ฿29.00

25.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.08 Ft 7,825

$19.38 ฿634

29.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 Ft 910

$1.35 ฿44.20

116.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 Ft 394

$1.35 ฿44.05

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.33 Ft 5,406

$8.25 ฿270

110.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 Ft 551

$1.27 ฿41.64

39.37%

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

$32.2K Ft 10.0M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

52.18%

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

$36.8K Ft 11.5M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

63.70%

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

$145 Ft 45.3K

$70.2 ฿2,294

107.01%

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

$29.97 Ft 9,352

$13.77 ฿450

117.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.24 Ft 7,565

$17.60 ฿575

37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 Ft 14.5K

$41.57 ฿1,360

12.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 Ft 5,232

$6.60 ฿216

154.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 Ft 2,453

$5.78 ฿189

35.99%

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

$460 Ft 143.7K

$306 ฿10.0K

50.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,679 Ft 2.1M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-54.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 Ft 27.5K

$54.4 ฿1,778

62.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.56 Ft 7,974

$26.14 ฿855

-2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 Ft 29.6K

$84.5 ฿2,764

12.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 Ft 33.6K

$69.4 ฿2,270

54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 Ft 137.8K

$424 ฿13.9K

4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 Ft 108.3K

$238 ฿7,788

45.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 Ft 194.4K

$825 ฿27.0K

-24.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 Ft 166.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

3.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,198 Ft 997.7K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

56.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,436 Ft 759.9K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

59.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,370 Ft 427.6K

$635 ฿20.8K

115.75%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Paks versus $424 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 116% 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 – $227 in Paks vs $243 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 34% 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 $1,714 per month in Paks and $1,278 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 $306 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 $852, than in Paks at $1,143. 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 $852 versus $1,143 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.