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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Pecs vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,771 per month in Pecs vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,364 per month in Pecs vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pecs costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pecs and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pecs 12% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.52 Ft 2,577

$1.98 ฿64.3

330.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.59 Ft 13.2K

$18.80 ฿612

131.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 Ft 2,685

$7.75 ฿252

14.58%

Cappuccino

$2.22 Ft 672

$1.92 ฿62.5

15.63%

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

$1.14 Ft 345

$0.79 ฿25.79

44.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 282

$0.36 ฿11.62

158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 Ft 474

$2.21 ฿72.1

-28.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 Ft 643

$3.66 ฿119

-42.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Ft 333

$1.65 ฿53.8

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 Ft 473

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 559

$1.19 ฿38.86

55.46%

Eggs

$2.44 Ft 738

$2.00 ฿65.1

22.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 Ft 2,871

$15.98 ฿520

-40.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 Ft 1,843

$3.03 ฿98.5

100.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 Ft 4,258

$10.86 ฿354

29.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 581

$2.76 ฿90.0

-30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 630

$1.18 ฿38.42

76.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Ft 662

$1.64 ฿53.5

33.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 Ft 1,056

$1.52 ฿49.51

129.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 366

$1.38 ฿45.10

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 Ft 372

$1.19 ฿38.84

3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 Ft 538

$0.70 ฿22.86

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 175

$0.56 ฿18.13

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 Ft 2,152

$4.58 ฿149

55.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 Ft 1,491

$16.56 ฿539

-70.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 Ft 351

$1.83 ฿59.5

-36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 613

$3.20 ฿104

-36.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 Ft 431

$0.88 ฿28.56

61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.79 Ft 7,499

$18.72 ฿610

32.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 978

$1.36 ฿44.16

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 Ft 349

$1.34 ฿43.65

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.69 Ft 6,864

$7.84 ฿256

189.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 Ft 508

$1.23 ฿39.92

36.59%

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

$27.5K Ft 8.3M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

27.30%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

39.26%

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

$161 Ft 48.8K

$70.5 ฿2,298

128.69%

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

$27.67 Ft 8,372

$13.68 ฿445

102.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 Ft 5,861

$17.45 ฿568

11.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.45 Ft 13.1K

$41.33 ฿1,346

5.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 Ft 6,463

$6.96 ฿227

206.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 Ft 2,447

$5.77 ฿188

40.21%

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

$410 Ft 123.9K

$307 ฿10.0K

33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,176 Ft 2.2M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-50.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 Ft 27.5K

$55.8 ฿1,817

62.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.11 Ft 13.6K

$26.21 ฿854

72.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 Ft 28.4K

$85.8 ฿2,793

9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 Ft 30.8K

$72.2 ฿2,353

40.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 Ft 148.2K

$430 ฿14.0K

13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 Ft 110.0K

$239 ฿7,774

52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 Ft 205.3K

$817 ฿26.6K

-16.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 Ft 171.0K

$511 ฿16.6K

10.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,588 Ft 1.1M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

80.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,073 Ft 929.8K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

107.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 Ft 339.9K

$619 ฿20.2K

81.53%

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 Pecs: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Pecs versus $430 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 82% higher in Pecs, 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 $44.00 in Pecs versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Pecs vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Pecs 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

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

Pecs costs about 36% 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 $1,768 per month in Pecs and $1,303 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 $410 per month in Pecs and $307 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 3% cheaper in Pecs – 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 $869, than in Pecs at $1,178. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pecs it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,178 in Pecs. 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, Pecs makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.