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 $1,289 per month in Perast vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,961 per month in Perast vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,634 per month in Perast vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Perast costs about 53% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perast and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Perast 4% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 €8.30

$1.95 ฿62.8

398.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.31 €39.50

$18.43 ฿594

151.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 €7.96

$7.50 ฿241

24.53%

Cappuccino

$2.12 €1.80

$1.93 ฿62.3

9.84%

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

$2.24 €1.91

$0.78 ฿25.08

187.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.21

$0.32 ฿10.42

343.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 €2.40

$2.15 ฿69.2

30.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.02

$3.71 ฿120

-4.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.71 ฿55.2

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 €0.84

$1.56 ฿50.3

-36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.18 ฿38.06

50.85%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.65

$1.98 ฿63.9

56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 €7.36

$16.04 ฿517

-46.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.47 €6.37

$3.17 ฿102

135.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 €8.17

$10.94 ฿353

-12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.63 ฿84.7

-42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.17 ฿37.61

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.65 ฿53.0

1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.10

$1.54 ฿49.51

59.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 €0.83

$1.38 ฿44.34

-29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.17 ฿37.54

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.57

$0.66 ฿21.25

178.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.64

$0.51 ฿16.55

47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 €3.50

$4.52 ฿146

-9.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 €3.93

$18.32 ฿590

-74.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.94

$1.80 ฿57.9

-38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.54

$3.18 ฿102

-43.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 €1.21

$0.90 ฿28.97

57.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.85 €32.28

$19.00 ฿612

99.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 €0.57

$1.41 ฿45.50

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.64

$1.31 ฿42.15

-42.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.41 €9.73

$8.09 ฿261

41.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.28 ฿41.08

38.28%

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

$29.5K €25.2K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

38.49%

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

$29.1K €24.8K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

34.09%

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

$117 €99.5

$69.2 ฿2,230

68.51%

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

$18.53 €15.81

$13.97 ฿450

32.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.47 €27.70

$17.95 ฿578

80.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.31 €37.79

$42.31 ฿1,363

4.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.09 €12.02

$6.66 ฿214

111.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 €2.93

$5.92 ฿191

-41.89%

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

$286 €244

$299 ฿9,640

-4.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,372 €6,288

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-50.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.57 €20.11

$56.2 ฿1,810

-58.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.13 €32.53

$26.94 ฿868

41.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 €81.5

$84.9 ฿2,735

12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €95.6

$71.8 ฿2,314

56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 €610

$435 ฿14.0K

64.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 €465

$240 ฿7,727

127.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 €1,072

$798 ฿25.7K

57.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 €777

$498 ฿16.1K

82.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 €3,342

$1,995 ฿64.3K

96.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,596 €2,214

$1,532 ฿49.4K

69.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Perast versus $435 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 $46 in Perast versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Perast vs $244 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 53% 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 $1,933 per month in Perast and $1,267 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 $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 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 $845, than in Perast at $1,289. 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 $845 versus $1,289 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.