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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,180 per month in Paszto vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,818 per month in Paszto vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,455 per month in Paszto vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Paszto costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paszto and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Paszto 11% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 Ft 3,556

$2.04 ฿68.2

453.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.47 Ft 15.3K

$18.71 ฿624

159.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 Ft 2,609

$7.86 ฿262

5.34%

Cappuccino

$2.45 Ft 771

$2.03 ฿67.7

20.69%

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

$1.41 Ft 443

$0.80 ฿26.64

76.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Ft 289

$0.35 ฿11.68

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 Ft 831

$2.14 ฿71.5

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 Ft 822

$3.67 ฿122

-28.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Ft 353

$1.73 ฿57.6

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 Ft 463

$1.57 ฿52.4

-6.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 583

$1.20 ฿39.99

54.17%

Eggs

$2.92 Ft 920

$1.97 ฿65.8

48.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 Ft 2,863

$16.23 ฿541

-43.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 Ft 1,775

$3.06 ฿102

83.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 Ft 3,573

$10.80 ฿360

5.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 683

$2.77 ฿92.3

-21.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 643

$1.17 ฿38.94

74.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 633

$1.71 ฿57.0

17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 Ft 1,362

$1.59 ฿53.2

171.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Ft 420

$1.39 ฿46.51

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 Ft 409

$1.16 ฿38.56

12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 Ft 469

$0.66 ฿22.05

125.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Ft 153

$0.52 ฿17.31

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 Ft 2,374

$4.65 ฿155

61.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 Ft 1,513

$17.78 ฿593

-73.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 Ft 346

$1.79 ฿59.6

-38.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 Ft 373

$3.34 ฿111

-64.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 370

$0.91 ฿30.27

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.90 Ft 7,847

$18.64 ฿622

33.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Ft 902

$1.41 ฿47.04

102.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 Ft 365

$1.34 ฿44.70

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.05 Ft 5,372

$8.11 ฿270

110.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 Ft 556

$1.23 ฿41.16

43.90%

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

$31.2K Ft 9.8M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

45.59%

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

$36.8K Ft 11.6M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

68.42%

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

$144 Ft 45.3K

$71.3 ฿2,379

101.35%

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

$29.45 Ft 9,279

$14.01 ฿467

110.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Ft 7,672

$17.93 ฿598

35.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 Ft 14.8K

$40.82 ฿1,362

14.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 Ft 5,208

$6.88 ฿230

140.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 Ft 2,498

$5.72 ฿191

38.64%

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

$457 Ft 143.8K

$308 ฿10.3K

48.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,703 Ft 2.1M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-54.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.0 Ft 28.0K

$55.8 ฿1,860

59.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.15 Ft 8,239

$26.04 ฿869

0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 Ft 29.8K

$84.8 ฿2,829

11.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.7K

$71.0 ฿2,368

46.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 Ft 142.0K

$423 ฿14.1K

6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 Ft 107.9K

$242 ฿8,088

41.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 Ft 197.6K

$797 ฿26.6K

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 Ft 169.8K

$507 ฿16.9K

6.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,894 Ft 911.8K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

50.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,633 Ft 829.5K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

79.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 Ft 236.9K

$595 ฿19.9K

26.38%

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 Paszto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Paszto versus $423 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 26% higher in Paszto, 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 $48.00 in Paszto versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Paszto vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Paszto 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

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

Paszto costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,770 per month in Paszto and $1,279 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 $457 per month in Paszto and $308 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 10% cheaper in Paszto – 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 Paszto at $1,180. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paszto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,180 in Paszto. 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, Paszto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.