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 $1,436 per month in Pecs vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Pecs vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,853 per month in Pecs vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pecs costs about 51% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Pecs sits 4% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.59 Ft 3,945

$2.10 ฿69.3

499.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 Ft 18.4K

$19.84 ฿656

196.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 Ft 2,956

$5.79 ฿191

63.04%

Cappuccino

$2.56 Ft 801

$1.83 ฿60.4

39.89%

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

$1.41 Ft 441

$0.78 ฿25.61

80.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 420

$0.31 ฿10.37

332.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 Ft 582

$2.34 ฿77.2

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Ft 786

$3.70 ฿122

-32.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 Ft 401

$2.03 ฿67.1

-36.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 Ft 530

$1.60 ฿52.7

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 Ft 806

$1.42 ฿46.75

80.99%

Eggs

$3.37 Ft 1,056

$2.18 ฿71.9

54.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 Ft 3,404

$15.91 ฿526

-31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 Ft 2,165

$3.07 ฿102

125.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.30 Ft 5,419

$9.87 ฿326

75.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 Ft 818

$2.63 ฿86.8

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 750

$1.10 ฿36.19

117.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Ft 859

$1.63 ฿53.8

68.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 Ft 1,271

$1.53 ฿50.6

165.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 Ft 369

$1.24 ฿41.13

-4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 Ft 445

$1.13 ฿37.37

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 Ft 607

$0.74 ฿24.38

162.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 178

$0.50 ฿16.48

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 Ft 2,732

$4.28 ฿141

103.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 Ft 1,548

$17.97 ฿594

-72.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 Ft 444

$1.70 ฿56.1

-16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 Ft 832

$2.90 ฿95.7

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 495

$0.94 ฿31.13

68.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.97 Ft 7,821

$55.3 ฿1,827

-54.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 Ft 1,108

$1.23 ฿40.76

187.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 Ft 487

$0.53 ฿17.66

192.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.20 Ft 7,893

$2.40 ฿79.3

950.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 585

$1.44 ฿47.55

29.86%

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

$31.5K Ft 9.9M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

48.64%

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

$39.1K Ft 12.3M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

43.33%

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

$179 Ft 56.1K

$64.9 ฿2,145

175.88%

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

$21.40 Ft 6,705

$13.35 ฿441

60.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.62 Ft 6,773

$20.83 ฿688

3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.57 Ft 15.5K

$40.42 ฿1,336

22.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.84 Ft 5,901

$3.95 ฿131

376.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 Ft 2,836

$6.71 ฿222

34.87%

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

$455 Ft 142.5K

$787 ฿26.0K

-42.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,932 Ft 2.5M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-47.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 Ft 32.6K

$56.2 ฿1,858

85.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 Ft 16.8K

$24.95 ฿824

114.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 Ft 31.4K

$92.7 ฿3,063

8.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 Ft 35.7K

$75.1 ฿2,482

51.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 Ft 204.0K

$484 ฿16.0K

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 Ft 143.4K

$287 ฿9,491

59.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 Ft 320.6K

$910 ฿30.1K

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 Ft 228.0K

$531 ฿17.5K

37.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,495 Ft 1.1M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

76.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,990 Ft 936.6K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

106.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,122 Ft 351.4K

$605 ฿20.0K

85.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

43.63%

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

Last update for Pecs: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $651 in Pecs versus $484 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 85% 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 $59.0 in Pecs versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 51% 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 $2,154 per month in Pecs and $1,426 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 $455 per month in Pecs and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Pecs, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Pecs at $1,436. 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 $950 versus $1,436 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.