Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paso de los Libres and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,268 in Paso de los Libres, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Paso de los Libres
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,268
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paso de los Libres and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Paso de los Libres and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,268 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Paso de los Libres $1,268
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $2,121 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Paso de los Libres $2,121
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $2,974 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Paso de los Libres $2,974
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Paso de los Libres costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Paso de los Libres and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Paso de los Libres 6% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.10 ARS 24.4K
$2.29 ฿76.5
603.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.5 ARS 87.3K
$19.64 ฿656
192.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.84 ARS 19.5K
$5.61 ฿188
128.88%
Cappuccino
$3.71 ARS 5,630
$1.66 ฿55.6
123.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 ARS 3,370
$0.70 ฿23.40
217.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ARS 2,945
$0.31 ฿10.24
525.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.83 ARS 5,816
$2.41 ฿80.4
58.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.00 ARS 6,075
$3.71 ฿124
7.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 ARS 2,113
$1.95 ฿65.3
-28.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 ARS 3,434
$1.41 ฿47.03
60.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 ARS 2,890
$1.31 ฿43.62
45.04%
Eggs
$2.73 ARS 4,138
$2.18 ฿72.9
25.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$16.65 ฿556
-38.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.81 ARS 11.8K
$2.76 ฿92.2
182.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.58 ARS 17.6K
$9.11 ฿304
27.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ARS 3,624
$2.39 ฿80.0
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 ARS 3,313
$1.03 ฿34.26
111.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.57 ARS 2,389
$1.63 ฿54.4
-3.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 ARS 4,033
$1.50 ฿50.0
77.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 ARS 1,669
$1.29 ฿43.13
-14.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 ARS 1,546
$1.11 ฿37.03
-8.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.72 ฿24.08
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,610
$0.53 ฿17.59
224.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.48 ARS 5,276
$4.31 ฿144
-19.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.94 ARS 7,491
$17.95 ฿600
-72.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 ARS 2,950
$1.58 ฿52.9
22.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 ARS 5,152
$2.84 ฿95.0
19.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 ARS 1,570
$0.86 ฿28.86
19.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 ARS 2,271
$1.21 ฿40.29
23.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.57 ฿18.99
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.35 ฿78.6
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ARS 1,861
$1.44 ฿47.96
-14.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K ARS 42.9M
$20.7K ฿692.8K
36.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K ARS 52.2M
$26.8K ฿895.7K
28.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ARS 188.0K
$62.3 ฿2,083
98.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.51 ARS 26.6K
$12.11 ฿405
44.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.29 ARS 39.9K
$19.94 ฿666
31.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.47 ARS 47.8K
$37.07 ฿1,239
-15.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.78 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.48 ARS 14.4K
$6.50 ฿217
45.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$278 ARS 422.5K
$793 ฿26.5K
-64.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,884 ARS 7.4M
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-67.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 ARS 163.9K
$53.7 ฿1,796
101.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$93.7 ARS 142.3K
$24.62 ฿823
280.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.3K
$90.9 ฿3,036
25.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 ARS 203.9K
$71.1 ฿2,378
88.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$510 ARS 774.7K
$455 ฿15.2K
12.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$329 ARS 499.2K
$298 ฿9,954
10.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$965 ARS 1.5M
$908 ฿30.4K
6.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$826 ARS 1.3M
$554 ฿18.5K
49.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,931 ฿64.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,445 ฿48.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paso de los Libres
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$591 ฿19.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Paso de los Libres: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paso de los Libres
$329
Chiang Mai
$298 9.5% $31
Groceries & Markets
Paso de los Libres
$257 *
Chiang Mai
$235 8.3% $21
Eating Out
Paso de los Libres
$256
Chiang Mai
$79 69.3% $177
Clothing & Footwear
Paso de los Libres
$203
Chiang Mai
$108 46.6% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paso de los Libres
$168
Chiang Mai
$94 43.7% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Paso de los Libres
$50
Chiang Mai
$50 0.7% $0.4
Getting Around
Paso de los Libres
$5.6 *
Chiang Mai
$61 980% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Paso de los Libres versus $455 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 $58.0 in Paso de los Libres versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Paso de los Libres
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
07:52 7:52 AM
17:52 5:52 PM
10 h ahead of Paso de los Libres
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
43,251
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paso de los Libres Chiang Mai 17,310 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Paso de los Libres
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Paso de los Libres vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paso de los Libres or Chiang Mai?
Paso de los Libres costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 Paso de los Libres and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,902 per month in Paso de los Libres and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Paso de los Libres 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 dining costs compare in Paso de los Libres and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Paso de los Libres and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Paso de los Libres or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 9% more in Paso de los Libres, 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 Paso de los Libres or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Paso de los Libres at $1,268. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paso de los Libres it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Paso de los Libres or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,268 in Paso de los Libres. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Paso de los Libres 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 Paso de los Libres or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paso de los Libres makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Paso de los Libres vs other spots: cost of living compared

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