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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,613 per month in Penafiel vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,317 per month in Penafiel vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,021 per month in Penafiel vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Penafiel costs about 86% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Penafiel sits 20% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 €8.94

$1.94 ฿63.8

430.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.54 €40.37

$18.64 ฿611

149.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 €7.85

$7.82 ฿256

15.73%

Cappuccino

$1.15 €0.99

$1.95 ฿64.1

-41.03%

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

$1.43 €1.24

$0.85 ฿27.88

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.62

$0.35 ฿11.63

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.13 ฿69.9

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.07

$3.73 ฿122

-5.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 €0.91

$1.71 ฿56.2

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.63 ฿53.4

-29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 €1.33

$1.14 ฿37.30

34.21%

Eggs

$2.95 €2.56

$1.93 ฿63.4

52.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 €9.73

$16.21 ฿532

-30.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 €6.55

$3.12 ฿102

141.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 €12.29

$10.90 ฿357

30.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.75 ฿90.3

-22.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.21 ฿39.68

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.62 ฿53.2

25.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$1.59 ฿52.0

38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 €0.75

$1.40 ฿45.89

-38.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.17 ฿38.32

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.66 ฿21.69

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 €0.32

$0.53 ฿17.29

-30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 €5.29

$4.69 ฿154

29.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 €3.68

$18.66 ฿612

-77.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.96

$1.80 ฿59.0

-38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.30

$3.23 ฿106

-17.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.95

$0.90 ฿29.37

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 €36.92

$19.21 ฿630

121.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 €3.96

$1.41 ฿46.10

223.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.29 ฿42.29

-7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.67 €12.73

$7.84 ฿257

87.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.27 ฿41.75

49.61%

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

$38.8K €33.7K

$21.3K ฿697.7K

82.48%

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

$39.4K €34.2K

$22.2K ฿728.3K

77.28%

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

$137 €119

$69.1 ฿2,265

98.10%

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

$21.30 €18.47

$14.08 ฿462

51.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.56 €36.92

$18.00 ฿590

136.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 €37.66

$41.06 ฿1,346

5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 €4.11

$5.92 ฿194

-19.93%

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

$350 €304

$299 ฿9,805

17.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,181 €7,097

$15.0K ฿490.3K

-45.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.3 €62.7

$54.7 ฿1,794

32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.09 €30.44

$26.77 ฿878

31.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 €80.6

$85.0 ฿2,787

9.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €134

$70.6 ฿2,315

119.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 €796

$428 ฿14.0K

114.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 €621

$237 ฿7,782

201.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 €1,294

$801 ฿26.3K

86.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 €1,006

$515 ฿16.9K

124.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,365 €2,051

$1,975 ฿64.7K

19.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,230 €1,934

$1,475 ฿48.4K

51.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

8.60%

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

Last update for Penafiel: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $918 in Penafiel versus $428 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Penafiel versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Penafiel vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Penafiel 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

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

Penafiel costs about 86% 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 $2,420 per month in Penafiel and $1,300 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 $350 per month in Penafiel and $299 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 Penafiel – 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 $866, than in Penafiel at $1,613. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Penafiel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,613 in Penafiel. 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, Penafiel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.