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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $937 per month in Pasaje vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,437 per month in Pasaje vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,937 per month in Pasaje vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pasaje costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pasaje and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pasaje 30% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 $3.40

$1.96 ฿65.9

73.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 $47.38

$18.35 ฿617

158.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 $7.89

$7.48 ฿252

5.48%

Cappuccino

$2.62 $2.62

$2.02 ฿67.8

29.70%

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

$0.91 $0.91

$0.85 ฿28.52

7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.36 ฿11.97

80.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.14 ฿71.9

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.59 ฿121

24.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.65 ฿55.5

-30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.57 ฿52.7

7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.19 ฿40.05

47.06%

Eggs

$2.63 $2.63

$1.94 ฿65.1

35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$16.19 ฿545

-62.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.99 ฿101

79.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$10.94 ฿368

-41.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.71 ฿91.2

-24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 ฿39.27

-6.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.69 ฿56.8

-37.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.60 ฿54.0

-35.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.38 ฿46.56

32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.20 ฿40.47

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.67 ฿22.51

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.56 ฿18.74

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.64 ฿156

28.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$17.62 ฿593

-32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.86 ฿62.6

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.30 ฿111

-33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.88 ฿29.70

-57.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.99 $23.99

$19.34 ฿651

24.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.36 ฿45.92

96.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.34 ฿45.00

-23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.09 $10.09

$8.21 ฿276

22.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.22 ฿41.20

-43.44%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

17.66%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

31.52%

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

$37.17 $37.17

$70.7 ฿2,378

-47.40%

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

$13.91 $13.91

$14.04 ฿472

-0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.94 $31.94

$17.49 ฿589

82.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.22 $30.22

$42.15 ฿1,418

-28.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 $14.71

$6.88 ฿231

113.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 $7.91

$5.92 ฿199

33.61%

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

$318 $318

$309 ฿10.4K

3.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,837 $5,837

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-60.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$55.8 ฿1,876

-6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 $43.75

$26.11 ฿879

67.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$83.0 ฿2,793

24.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$70.5 ฿2,371

56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$432 ฿14.5K

-20.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 $322

$239 ฿8,040

34.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 $634

$822 ฿27.7K

-22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 $500

$512 ฿17.2K

-2.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,168 $1,168

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-39.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 $847

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-42.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

87.00%

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

Last update for Pasaje: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Pasaje versus $432 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Pasaje versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Pasaje vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Pasaje 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

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

Pasaje costs about 9% 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 $1,405 per month in Pasaje and $1,292 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 $318 per month in Pasaje and $309 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 25% cheaper in Pasaje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $937 in Pasaje and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $937 in Pasaje. 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, Pasaje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.