Cost of Living Comparison Between Pingtung city and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Pingtung city and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,125 per month in Pingtung city vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,857 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,589 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pingtung city costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pingtung city and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pingtung city 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 NT$155

$1.94 ฿63.5

154.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.69 NT$966

$18.64 ฿609

64.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 NT$171

$7.82 ฿255

-30.43%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NT$95.3

$1.95 ฿63.8

55.38%

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

$1.03 NT$32.29

$0.85 ฿27.77

21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NT$23.98

$0.35 ฿11.58

117.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$52.7

$2.13 ฿69.6

-21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NT$82.8

$3.73 ฿122

-29.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.83 NT$121

$1.71 ฿56.0

123.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$1.63 ฿53.2

21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.3

$1.14 ฿37.15

145.61%

Eggs

$3.19 NT$100

$1.93 ฿63.1

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 NT$496

$16.21 ฿530

-2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 NT$260

$3.12 ฿102

164.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 NT$504

$10.90 ฿356

46.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 NT$143

$2.75 ฿90.0

65.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NT$57.2

$1.21 ฿39.52

50.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 NT$72.5

$1.62 ฿53.0

41.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.3

$1.59 ฿51.8

88.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 NT$40.88

$1.40 ฿45.70

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$59.5

$1.17 ฿38.17

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$60.5

$0.66 ฿21.60

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.28

$0.53 ฿17.22

122.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 NT$125

$4.69 ฿153

-15.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 NT$496

$18.66 ฿609

-15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NT$80.7

$3.23 ฿106

-20.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.58

$0.90 ฿29.26

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.47 NT$1,211

$19.21 ฿628

100.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 NT$90.2

$1.41 ฿45.91

102.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.03

$1.29 ฿42.12

-43.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.01 NT$189

$7.84 ฿256

-23.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.21

$1.27 ฿41.58

-16.54%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

56.85%

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

$25.8K NT$811.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

16.07%

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

$95.5 NT$3,005

$69.1 ฿2,256

38.22%

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

$25.05 NT$788

$14.08 ฿460

77.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.34 NT$672

$18.00 ฿588

18.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NT$1,166

$41.06 ฿1,341

-9.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 NT$485

$6.96 ฿227

121.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 NT$318

$5.92 ฿193

70.78%

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

$362 NT$11.4K

$299 ฿9,766

20.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K NT$353.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-24.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 NT$2,627

$54.7 ฿1,787

52.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 NT$1,090

$26.77 ฿874

29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 NT$2,833

$85.0 ฿2,776

5.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,254

$70.6 ฿2,306

46.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$13.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,227

$237 ฿7,752

23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 NT$32.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

27.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 NT$23.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

41.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,946 NT$61.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

215.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

-56.40%

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

Last update for Pingtung city: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Pingtung city 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.

Salaries run about 215% higher in Pingtung city, 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 $31.00 in Pingtung city versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $246 – 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

Pingtung city vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pingtung city costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,688 per month in Pingtung city 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 $362 per month in Pingtung city and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Pingtung city, 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 $866, than in Pingtung city at $1,125. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pingtung city it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,125 in Pingtung city. 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, Pingtung city makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.