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 $1,143 per month in Pingtung city vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,888 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,633 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pingtung city costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pingtung city and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pingtung city 14% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 NT$160

$1.96 ฿65.9

153.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.08 NT$1,004

$18.35 ฿617

69.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NT$173

$7.48 ฿252

-28.48%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NT$94.8

$2.02 ฿67.8

45.05%

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

$1.03 NT$33.16

$0.85 ฿28.52

21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$23.50

$0.36 ฿11.97

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.8

$2.14 ฿71.9

-21.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 NT$85.6

$3.59 ฿121

-26.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.89 NT$126

$1.65 ฿55.5

135.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$64.1

$1.57 ฿52.7

26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 NT$88.1

$1.19 ฿40.05

129.41%

Eggs

$3.28 NT$106

$1.94 ฿65.1

69.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.00 NT$517

$16.19 ฿545

-1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 NT$258

$2.99 ฿101

167.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 NT$519

$10.94 ฿368

46.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 NT$148

$2.71 ฿91.2

69.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 NT$56.4

$1.17 ฿39.27

48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.2

$1.69 ฿56.8

28.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$96.4

$1.60 ฿54.0

86.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 NT$41.34

$1.38 ฿46.56

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 NT$62.7

$1.20 ฿40.47

61.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 NT$62.4

$0.67 ฿22.51

188.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$38.18

$0.56 ฿18.74

110.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$131

$4.64 ฿156

-12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 NT$492

$17.62 ฿593

-13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$54.1

$1.86 ฿62.6

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 NT$82.0

$3.30 ฿111

-23.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$28.35

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.78 NT$1,253

$19.34 ฿651

100.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$93.9

$1.36 ฿45.92

113.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.65

$1.34 ฿45.00

-41.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 NT$194

$8.21 ฿276

-26.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.50

$1.22 ฿41.20

-17.21%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

57.82%

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

$25.2K NT$815.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

12.02%

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

$95.2 NT$3,075

$70.7 ฿2,378

34.67%

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

$24.36 NT$787

$14.04 ฿472

73.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.40 NT$691

$17.49 ฿589

22.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 NT$1,201

$42.15 ฿1,418

-11.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 NT$485

$6.88 ฿231

118.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 NT$327

$5.92 ฿199

70.78%

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

$359 NT$11.6K

$309 ฿10.4K

16.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K NT$363.3K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-24.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 NT$2,685

$55.8 ฿1,876

49.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 NT$1,130

$26.11 ฿879

33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 NT$2,851

$83.0 ฿2,793

6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 NT$3,222

$70.5 ฿2,371

41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 NT$14.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,458

$239 ฿8,040

22.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 NT$34.2K

$822 ฿27.7K

28.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 NT$23.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

41.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,912 NT$61.8K

$579 ฿19.5K

229.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Pingtung city versus $432 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 230% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $243 – 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 33% 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 $1,714 per month in Pingtung city and $1,292 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 $359 per month in Pingtung city and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $861, than in Pingtung city at $1,143. 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 $861 versus $1,143 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.