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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Trujillo vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Trujillo vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Trujillo vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Trujillo is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Trujillo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 42% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 PEN 11.00

$1.96 ฿65.9

65.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.70 PEN 46.48

$18.35 ฿617

-25.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 PEN 22.82

$7.48 ฿252

-10.03%

Cappuccino

$2.98 PEN 10.10

$2.02 ฿67.8

47.52%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.02

$0.85 ฿28.52

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.36 ฿11.97

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PEN 6.52

$2.14 ฿71.9

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.19

$3.59 ฿121

-8.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$1.65 ฿55.5

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.57 ฿52.7

12.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$1.19 ฿40.05

-5.04%

Eggs

$3.88 PEN 13.15

$1.94 ฿65.1

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 PEN 21.96

$2.99 ฿101

116.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 PEN 25.50

$10.94 ฿368

-31.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$2.71 ฿91.2

-56.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.17 ฿39.27

-50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.95

$1.69 ฿56.8

-65.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$1.60 ฿54.0

-55.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$1.38 ฿46.56

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.20 ฿40.47

-31.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.09

$0.67 ฿22.51

35.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.11

$0.56 ฿18.74

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.49

$4.64 ฿156

-7.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 PEN 19.63

$17.62 ฿593

-67.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PEN 4.77

$1.86 ฿62.6

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PEN 5.59

$3.30 ฿111

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 PEN 2.16

$0.88 ฿29.70

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$19.34 ฿651

-15.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 PEN 9.49

$1.36 ฿45.92

105.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$1.34 ฿45.00

48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 PEN 19.22

$8.21 ฿276

-31.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.22 ฿41.20

11.48%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.3K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-20.89%

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

$26.2K PEN 88.9K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

16.28%

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

$76.6 PEN 260

$70.7 ฿2,378

8.33%

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

$8.48 PEN 28.78

$14.04 ฿472

-39.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 PEN 72.0

$17.49 ฿589

21.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 PEN 122

$42.15 ฿1,418

-14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 PEN 18.30

$6.88 ฿231

-21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PEN 14.11

$5.92 ฿199

-29.73%

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

$102 PEN 346

$309 ฿10.4K

-66.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 PEN 6,660

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-86.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 PEN 240

$55.8 ฿1,876

26.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.00 PEN 47.48

$26.11 ฿879

-46.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.71 PEN 111

$83.0 ฿2,793

-60.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.74 PEN 111

$70.5 ฿2,371

-53.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PEN 1,238

$432 ฿14.5K

-15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 871

$239 ฿8,040

7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,043

$822 ฿27.7K

-26.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 PEN 1,659

$512 ฿17.2K

-4.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,860

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-40.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 PEN 2,786

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-44.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 PEN 1,779

$579 ฿19.5K

-9.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

154.00%

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

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Trujillo 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 10% 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 $14.00 in Trujillo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $159 vs $243 – making Trujillo 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Trujillo, 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 $1,169 per month in Trujillo 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 Trujillo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $102 per month in Trujillo 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 53% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $779 in Trujillo and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Trujillo costs $779 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 Trujillo. 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.