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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Perast vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,985 per month in Perast vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,679 per month in Perast vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Perast costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perast and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Perast 3% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.74 €8.56

$2.03 ฿68.4

379.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 €40.90

$18.71 ฿630

148.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 €8.38

$7.84 ฿264

21.68%

Cappuccino

$2.08 €1.83

$1.93 ฿64.9

7.77%

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

$2.19 €1.92

$0.83 ฿28.00

163.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.22

$0.35 ฿11.80

297.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 €2.52

$2.22 ฿74.8

28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.13

$3.79 ฿128

-6.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.65 ฿55.4

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.55 ฿52.3

-33.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 €1.58

$1.18 ฿39.79

51.69%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.82

$2.01 ฿67.9

59.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 €7.47

$16.16 ฿544

-47.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 €6.45

$3.03 ฿102

141.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 €8.20

$10.84 ฿365

-13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 €1.34

$2.68 ฿90.3

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.52

$1.22 ฿41.14

41.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 €1.47

$1.63 ฿54.8

2.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.20

$1.53 ฿51.5

63.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.89

$1.34 ฿45.10

-24.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.21 ฿40.86

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 €1.66

$0.70 ฿23.63

170.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.67

$0.53 ฿17.70

43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 €3.52

$4.69 ฿158

-14.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.54 €3.99

$17.71 ฿597

-74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.91

$1.85 ฿62.2

-43.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.66

$3.21 ฿108

-41.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 €1.30

$0.89 ฿30.01

66.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.57 €33.03

$18.76 ฿632

100.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 €0.63

$1.41 ฿47.40

-49.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 €0.67

$1.29 ฿43.52

-40.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.76 €10.33

$7.79 ฿262

50.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.49

$1.29 ฿43.59

31.01%

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

$28.7K €25.2K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

31.92%

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

$28.5K €25.0K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

31.35%

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

$113 €99.2

$70.0 ฿2,358

61.16%

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

$18.12 €15.93

$14.19 ฿478

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.57 €28.63

$17.42 ฿587

86.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 €38.49

$41.64 ฿1,403

5.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 €12.51

$6.89 ฿232

106.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 €2.99

$5.78 ฿195

-41.18%

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

$286 €252

$300 ฿10.1K

-4.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,507 €6,600

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-48.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.71 €19.97

$55.4 ฿1,865

-58.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 €33.90

$26.31 ฿886

46.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 €81.8

$84.8 ฿2,858

9.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €97.0

$70.5 ฿2,375

56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 €646

$425 ฿14.3K

72.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 €470

$235 ฿7,919

127.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,132

$802 ฿27.0K

60.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 €792

$516 ฿17.4K

74.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,741 €3,289

$1,926 ฿64.9K

94.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,557 €2,248

$1,451 ฿48.9K

76.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

7.60%

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

Last update for Perast: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $735 in Perast versus $425 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 Perast versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Perast vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Perast 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

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

Perast costs about 52% 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 $1,936 per month in Perast and $1,271 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 $286 per month in Perast and $300 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 15% cheaper in Perast – 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 $847, than in Perast at $1,290. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perast it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,290 in Perast. 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, Perast makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.