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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $735 per month in Piura vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Piura vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in Piura vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Piura is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Piura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Piura 47% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 PEN 12.31

$2.10 ฿69.3

74.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 PEN 85.0

$19.84 ฿656

27.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PEN 24.36

$5.79 ฿191

25.56%

Cappuccino

$3.35 PEN 11.23

$1.83 ฿60.4

83.06%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.74

$0.78 ฿25.61

43.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.41

$0.31 ฿10.37

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 PEN 7.84

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 PEN 10.06

$3.70 ฿122

-18.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.89

$2.03 ฿67.1

-28.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 PEN 8.85

$1.60 ฿52.7

65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 PEN 5.43

$1.42 ฿46.75

14.08%

Eggs

$2.87 PEN 9.61

$2.18 ฿71.9

31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 PEN 36.19

$15.91 ฿526

-32.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 PEN 29.69

$3.07 ฿102

188.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 PEN 36.40

$9.87 ฿326

10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 PEN 4.78

$2.63 ฿86.8

-45.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.10 ฿36.19

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 PEN 5.07

$1.63 ฿53.8

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.57

$1.53 ฿50.6

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 PEN 4.29

$1.24 ฿41.13

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 PEN 2.46

$1.13 ฿37.37

-35.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.04

$0.74 ฿24.38

22.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$0.50 ฿16.48

174.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.05 PEN 26.99

$4.28 ฿141

88.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 PEN 38.13

$17.97 ฿594

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 PEN 6.41

$1.70 ฿56.1

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 PEN 9.74

$2.90 ฿95.7

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 PEN 2.34

$0.94 ฿31.13

-25.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 PEN 71.3

$55.3 ฿1,827

-61.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PEN 10.58

$1.23 ฿40.76

156.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$0.53 ฿17.66

345.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 PEN 25.42

$2.40 ฿79.3

215.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 4.98

$1.44 ฿47.55

3.47%

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

$22.3K PEN 74.8K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

5.23%

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

$23.9K PEN 80.2K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-12.42%

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

$42.21 PEN 142

$64.9 ฿2,145

-34.99%

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

$8.82 PEN 29.55

$13.35 ฿441

-33.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 PEN 99.4

$40.42 ฿1,336

-26.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 PEN 8.25

$6.71 ฿222

-63.34%

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

$200 PEN 670

$787 ฿26.0K

-74.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,379 PEN 7,976

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-84.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.11 PEN 148

$56.2 ฿1,858

-21.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.58 PEN 45.52

$24.95 ฿824

-45.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 PEN 203

$92.7 ฿3,063

-34.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 PEN 254

$75.1 ฿2,482

0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 PEN 790

$484 ฿16.0K

-51.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$287 ฿9,491

-53.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 PEN 1,364

$910 ฿30.1K

-55.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 PEN 1,343

$531 ฿17.5K

-24.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,896 PEN 13.1K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

96.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 PEN 1,856

$605 ฿20.0K

-8.53%

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 Piura: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Piura versus $484 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 9% 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 $25.00 in Piura versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $242 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Piura, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,102 per month in Piura and $1,426 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.

Kindergarten costs $200 per month in Piura and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 Piura, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Piura 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. Piura costs $735 versus $950 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.