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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $890 per month in Phetchabun vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,477 per month in Phetchabun vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,065 per month in Phetchabun vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Phetchabun is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phetchabun and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Phetchabun 35% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 ฿59.0

$2.08 ฿68.5

-13.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.67 ฿778

$19.64 ฿646

20.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ฿218

$5.65 ฿186

17.35%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ฿41.26

$1.81 ฿59.3

-30.39%

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

$0.74 ฿24.28

$0.71 ฿23.44

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ฿7.94

$0.32 ฿10.38

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ฿68.9

$2.24 ฿73.5

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ฿101

$3.63 ฿119

-15.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$1.96 ฿64.4

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.06

$1.50 ฿49.38

-2.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 ฿42.82

$1.34 ฿43.92

-2.99%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿70.8

$2.26 ฿74.4

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿532

$16.26 ฿534

-0.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 ฿94.7

$2.95 ฿97.1

-2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿354

$9.94 ฿327

8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.57 ฿84.5

30.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.21

$1.06 ฿34.72

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.6

$1.61 ฿53.0

37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ฿58.6

$1.52 ฿49.96

17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.26

$1.27 ฿41.76

18.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ฿40.27

$1.07 ฿35.05

14.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿36.33

$0.72 ฿23.67

54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.93

$0.51 ฿16.72

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ฿144

$4.19 ฿138

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 ฿494

$17.87 ฿587

-15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$1.69 ฿55.7

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿93.5

$2.84 ฿93.2

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿31.54

$0.93 ฿30.42

3.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ฿39.06

$1.23 ฿40.58

-3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ฿36.34

$0.58 ฿18.96

91.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$2.42 ฿79.7

59.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.47

$1.41 ฿46.42

2.13%

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

$24.5K ฿806.9K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

14.48%

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

$26.9K ฿883.8K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-1.64%

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

$85.1 ฿2,796

$63.7 ฿2,093

33.58%

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

$12.79 ฿420

$12.85 ฿423

-0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.17 ฿630

$20.22 ฿665

-5.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.93 ฿1,608

$38.74 ฿1,274

26.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 ฿475

$3.97 ฿130

263.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 ฿219

$6.74 ฿221

-1.19%

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

$580 ฿19.1K

$778 ฿25.6K

-25.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿372.2K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-22.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 ฿1,675

$54.3 ฿1,785

-6.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.32 ฿997

$25.45 ฿836

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ฿2,517

$94.3 ฿3,101

-18.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ฿2,559

$73.4 ฿2,414

6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 ฿15.5K

$490 ฿16.1K

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 ฿9,550

$289 ฿9,510

0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 ฿41.1K

$894 ฿29.4K

39.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 ฿23.0K

$517 ฿17.0K

35.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.4K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

1.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,648 ฿54.2K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

11.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phetchabun: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in Phetchabun versus $490 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 $24.00 in Phetchabun versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $240 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Phetchabun, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,334 per month in Phetchabun and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phetchabun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Phetchabun and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Phetchabun, where all-in costs run around $890, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Phetchabun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phetchabun costs $890 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Phetchabun. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.