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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Pisco vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $830 per month in Pisco vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,132 per month in Pisco vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pisco is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Pisco and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.46

$1.96 ฿65.9

12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.05 PEN 37.47

$18.35 ฿617

-39.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.38 PEN 11.47

$7.48 ฿252

-54.81%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PEN 4.83

$2.02 ฿67.8

-29.21%

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

$0.68 PEN 2.30

$0.85 ฿28.52

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 PEN 0.98

$0.36 ฿11.97

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 PEN 6.47

$2.14 ฿71.9

-10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.00

$3.59 ฿121

6.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 4.98

$1.65 ฿55.5

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 PEN 9.14

$1.57 ฿52.7

71.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.43

$1.19 ฿40.05

9.24%

Eggs

$2.83 PEN 9.61

$1.94 ฿65.1

45.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 PEN 27.41

$16.19 ฿545

-50.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 PEN 18.75

$2.99 ฿101

84.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 PEN 36.11

$10.94 ฿368

-2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 PEN 6.88

$2.71 ฿91.2

-25.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.17 ฿39.27

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 PEN 3.90

$1.69 ฿56.8

-31.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.26

$1.60 ฿54.0

-21.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.38 ฿46.56

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.20 ฿40.47

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 2.98

$0.67 ฿22.51

31.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.12

$0.56 ฿18.74

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.76

$4.64 ฿156

19.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 PEN 30.10

$17.62 ฿593

-49.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.86 ฿62.6

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.14

$3.30 ฿111

-9.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 PEN 11.56

$1.36 ฿45.92

150.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 PEN 7.23

$1.34 ฿45.00

58.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$8.21 ฿276

-0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.39

$1.22 ฿41.20

6.56%

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

$19.6K PEN 66.6K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-8.09%

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

$24.9K PEN 84.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

10.49%

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

$55.9 PEN 190

$70.7 ฿2,378

-20.90%

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

$12.50 PEN 42.42

$14.04 ฿472

-10.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.30 PEN 79.0

$17.49 ฿589

33.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 PEN 23.86

$5.92 ฿199

18.75%

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

$220 PEN 748

$309 ฿10.4K

-28.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,928 PEN 26.9K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-46.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 PEN 170

$55.8 ฿1,876

-10.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.79 PEN 125

$26.11 ฿879

40.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PEN 305

$83.0 ฿2,793

8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 PEN 300

$70.5 ฿2,371

25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 PEN 6,061

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-6.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 PEN 4,502

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-9.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 PEN 1,957

$579 ฿19.5K

-0.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

102.20%

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

Last update for Pisco: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 0% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $11.00 in Pisco versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $243 – making Pisco 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Pisco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Pisco and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Pisco and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Pisco and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pisco costs $528 versus $861 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 Pisco. 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.