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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in Piura vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,028 per month in Piura vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,443 per month in Piura vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Piura is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Piura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Piura 54% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 PEN 9.68

$1.95 ฿62.6

44.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.01 PEN 37.75

$18.43 ฿591

-40.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.76

$7.50 ฿241

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$3.36 PEN 11.51

$1.93 ฿62.0

74.09%

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

$1.63 PEN 5.58

$0.78 ฿24.98

108.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.32 ฿10.38

65.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.57

$2.15 ฿68.9

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 PEN 9.72

$3.71 ฿119

-23.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 PEN 3.86

$1.71 ฿55.0

-34.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 PEN 10.77

$1.56 ฿50.1

101.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PEN 4.84

$1.18 ฿37.91

19.49%

Eggs

$2.11 PEN 7.23

$1.98 ฿63.6

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 PEN 28.39

$16.04 ฿515

-48.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 PEN 24.14

$3.17 ฿102

122.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 PEN 32.22

$10.94 ฿351

-14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.64

$2.63 ฿84.3

-48.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.79

$1.17 ฿37.45

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.77

$1.65 ฿52.8

-50.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.92

$1.54 ฿49.31

-25.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.36

$1.38 ฿44.16

-7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.97

$1.17 ฿37.39

-51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.96

$0.66 ฿21.16

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$0.51 ฿16.48

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.17 PEN 28.01

$4.52 ฿145

80.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 PEN 37.88

$18.32 ฿588

-39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 PEN 6.28

$1.80 ฿57.7

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 PEN 9.70

$3.18 ฿102

-11.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 PEN 1.39

$0.90 ฿28.85

-54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PEN 5.66

$1.41 ฿45.32

17.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.51

$1.31 ฿41.98

22.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 PEN 18.86

$8.09 ฿260

-32.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 PEN 4.81

$1.28 ฿40.92

9.37%

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

$21.3K ฿683.3K

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

$21.7K ฿696.5K

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

$39.62 PEN 136

$69.2 ฿2,221

-42.75%

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

$8.40 PEN 28.80

$13.97 ฿448

-39.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.66 PEN 94.9

$42.31 ฿1,358

-34.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$2.27 PEN 7.77

$5.92 ฿190

-61.66%

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

$188 PEN 643

$299 ฿9,601

-37.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,219 PEN 7,612

$14.8K ฿476.5K

-85.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.46 PEN 146

$56.2 ฿1,803

-24.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.62 PEN 43.27

$26.94 ฿864

-53.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 PEN 191

$84.9 ฿2,724

-34.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 PEN 238

$71.8 ฿2,305

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 PEN 475

$435 ฿14.0K

-68.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PEN 432

$240 ฿7,696

-47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PEN 1,146

$798 ฿25.6K

-58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,323

$498 ฿16.0K

-22.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,692 PEN 12.7K

$1,995 ฿64.0K

85.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Piura: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Piura 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 $11 in Piura versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $244 – making Piura 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Piura, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $920 per month in Piura 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 Piura, 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 $11.00 in Piura 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 11% 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 $613 in Piura and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piura costs $613 versus $845 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 Piura. 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.