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 $1,204 per month in Paszto vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Paszto vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,422 per month in Paszto vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Paszto costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paszto and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Paszto 10% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.44 Ft 3,555

$1.96 ฿63.6

483.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 Ft 15.0K

$18.81 ฿611

156.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 Ft 2,476

$7.92 ฿258

0.63%

Cappuccino

$2.59 Ft 805

$1.91 ฿62.2

35.60%

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

$1.38 Ft 429

$0.84 ฿27.25

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 Ft 291

$0.35 ฿11.44

168.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 Ft 800

$2.21 ฿71.7

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 Ft 789

$3.80 ฿124

-33.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Ft 348

$1.64 ฿53.2

-31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Ft 472

$1.62 ฿52.8

-6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 576

$1.18 ฿38.40

56.78%

Eggs

$2.81 Ft 874

$2.01 ฿65.4

39.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 Ft 2,890

$15.89 ฿517

-41.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 Ft 1,779

$3.01 ฿98.0

90.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 Ft 3,454

$10.77 ฿350

3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 675

$2.61 ฿85.0

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 Ft 629

$1.22 ฿39.65

65.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 Ft 629

$1.70 ฿55.4

18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 Ft 1,350

$1.58 ฿51.2

174.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Ft 416

$1.32 ฿42.89

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 Ft 412

$1.17 ฿38.01

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Ft 465

$0.67 ฿21.85

123.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Ft 153

$0.56 ฿18.21

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 Ft 2,311

$4.53 ฿147

64.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 Ft 1,491

$18.20 ฿592

-73.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 Ft 340

$1.83 ฿59.6

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 Ft 370

$3.23 ฿105

-63.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 Ft 348

$0.89 ฿28.83

25.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.71 Ft 7,681

$19.38 ฿630

27.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Ft 889

$1.35 ฿43.95

111.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 Ft 360

$1.35 ฿43.79

-14.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.36 Ft 5,397

$8.25 ฿268

110.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 Ft 523

$1.27 ฿41.40

32.28%

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

$31.9K Ft 9.9M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

50.95%

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

$36.6K Ft 11.4M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

62.99%

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

$145 Ft 45.0K

$70.2 ฿2,281

106.14%

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

$29.72 Ft 9,238

$13.77 ฿448

115.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.41 Ft 7,589

$17.60 ฿572

38.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.25 Ft 14.7K

$41.57 ฿1,352

13.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 Ft 5,204

$6.60 ฿215

153.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 Ft 2,398

$5.78 ฿188

33.39%

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

$461 Ft 143.4K

$306 ฿9,953

50.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,775 Ft 2.1M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-54.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 Ft 28.2K

$54.4 ฿1,768

67.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.67 Ft 7,979

$26.14 ฿850

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 Ft 29.4K

$84.5 ฿2,748

12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.2K

$69.4 ฿2,257

49.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 Ft 136.1K

$424 ฿13.8K

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 Ft 108.3K

$238 ฿7,743

46.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 Ft 200.9K

$825 ฿26.8K

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 Ft 163.7K

$515 ฿16.7K

2.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,125 Ft 971.3K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

52.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,507 Ft 779.2K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

64.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$771 Ft 239.7K

$635 ฿20.6K

21.42%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Paszto 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 21% 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 – $224 in Paszto vs $243 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 41% 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 $1,806 per month in Paszto 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 $461 per month in Paszto 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 9% 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 $1,204. 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 $1,204 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.