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 $1,195 per month in Pecs vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Pecs vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,369 per month in Pecs vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pecs costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 Ft 2,669

$2.04 ฿68.4

313.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.85 Ft 13.6K

$18.71 ฿626

129.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 Ft 2,664

$7.86 ฿263

7.12%

Cappuccino

$2.21 Ft 700

$2.03 ฿67.9

8.87%

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

$1.13 Ft 359

$0.80 ฿26.71

41.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 Ft 287

$0.35 ฿11.71

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 Ft 488

$2.14 ฿71.7

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 704

$3.67 ฿123

-39.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Ft 347

$1.73 ฿57.8

-36.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Ft 496

$1.57 ฿52.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 600

$1.20 ฿40.10

58.33%

Eggs

$2.55 Ft 806

$1.97 ฿66.0

29.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 Ft 2,912

$16.23 ฿543

-43.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 Ft 1,870

$3.06 ฿102

93.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 Ft 4,580

$10.80 ฿361

34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Ft 639

$2.77 ฿92.6

-27.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 636

$1.17 ฿39.05

71.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 Ft 666

$1.71 ฿57.1

22.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 Ft 1,116

$1.59 ฿53.3

122.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 Ft 388

$1.39 ฿46.63

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 Ft 389

$1.16 ฿38.67

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 Ft 566

$0.66 ฿22.11

171.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 172

$0.52 ฿17.35

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 Ft 2,295

$4.65 ฿155

55.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 Ft 1,492

$17.78 ฿595

-73.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 387

$1.79 ฿59.8

-31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 641

$3.34 ฿112

-39.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 Ft 465

$0.91 ฿30.35

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.74 Ft 7,826

$18.64 ฿624

32.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 Ft 997

$1.41 ฿47.17

123.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.34 ฿44.82

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.59 Ft 7,147

$8.11 ฿271

178.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 Ft 539

$1.23 ฿41.27

38.21%

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

$26.9K Ft 8.5M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

25.61%

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

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

44.98%

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

$163 Ft 51.4K

$71.3 ฿2,386

127.84%

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

$27.71 Ft 8,769

$14.01 ฿469

97.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.50 Ft 6,171

$17.93 ฿600

8.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.25 Ft 14.0K

$40.82 ฿1,365

8.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 Ft 6,929

$6.88 ฿230

218.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 Ft 2,525

$5.72 ฿191

39.51%

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

$402 Ft 127.1K

$308 ฿10.3K

30.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,197 Ft 2.3M

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-50.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 Ft 29.4K

$55.8 ฿1,865

66.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.52 Ft 13.8K

$26.04 ฿871

67.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 Ft 29.8K

$84.8 ฿2,837

11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 Ft 32.3K

$71.0 ฿2,375

43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 Ft 154.8K

$423 ฿14.2K

15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 Ft 116.4K

$242 ฿8,110

51.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 Ft 213.4K

$797 ฿26.7K

-15.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 Ft 177.6K

$507 ฿17.0K

10.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,479 Ft 1.1M

$1,918 ฿64.2K

81.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,891 Ft 914.7K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

97.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 Ft 350.4K

$595 ฿19.9K

86.14%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Pecs 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 86% 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 $43.00 in Pecs versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Pecs vs $244 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 40% 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 $1,792 per month in Pecs 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 $402 per month in Pecs 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 5% 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 $852, than in Pecs at $1,195. 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 $852 versus $1,195 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.