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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $441 in Bahawalnagar versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $645 in Bahawalnagar versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $850 in Bahawalnagar versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bahawalnagar costs roughly 49% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bahawalnagar 67% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 586

$1.98 ฿64.3

6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.89 PKR 3,862

$18.80 ฿612

-26.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 PKR 1,202

$7.75 ฿252

-44.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 PKR 783

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,057

Cappuccino

$2.35 PKR 654

$1.92 ฿62.5

22.40%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.9

$0.79 ฿25.79

-54.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.36 ฿11.62

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 PKR 228

$1.65 ฿53.8

-50.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 159

$1.63 ฿53.2

-65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.19 ฿38.86

-1.68%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$2.00 ฿65.1

-41.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 PKR 1,645

$15.98 ฿520

-62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.44 PKR 677

$3.03 ฿98.5

-19.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$10.86 ฿354

-88.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 243

$2.76 ฿90.0

-68.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$1.18 ฿38.42

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$1.64 ฿53.5

-64.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.52 ฿49.51

-68.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$1.38 ฿45.10

-76.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$1.19 ฿38.84

-56.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.70 ฿22.86

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.5

$0.56 ฿18.13

-37.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.87 PKR 243

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 PKR 150

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 PKR 239

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 PKR 546

$4.58 ฿149

-57.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.39

$0.88 ฿28.56

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.18 PKR 1,995

$18.72 ฿610

-61.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 193

$1.36 ฿44.16

-48.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$1.34 ฿43.65

-63.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 499

$7.84 ฿256

-77.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.23 ฿39.92

-24.39%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-18.78%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

4.41%

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

$138 PKR 38.3K

$70.5 ฿2,298

95.25%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,528

$13.68 ฿445

-59.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.02 PKR 4,733

$17.45 ฿568

-2.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.35 PKR 3,432

$41.33 ฿1,346

-70.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 PKR 1,645

$6.96 ฿227

-14.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,193

$5.77 ฿188

-25.65%

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

$34.81 PKR 9,678

$307 ฿10.0K

-88.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 PKR 336.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-91.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.30 PKR 4,254

$55.8 ฿1,817

-72.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.19 PKR 6,448

$26.21 ฿854

-11.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.67 PKR 8,250

$72.2 ฿2,353

-58.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

-82.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.0 PKR 14.2K

$239 ฿7,774

-78.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

-79.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.9K

$511 ฿16.6K

-78.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$848 PKR 235.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-57.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$538 PKR 149.7K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-63.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

297.60%

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

Last update for Bahawalnagar: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Bahawalnagar and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bahawalnagar vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $78.0 vs $241 per month, with Bahawalnagar cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bahawalnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $662 in Bahawalnagar and $1,303 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $75.8 in Bahawalnagar versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bahawalnagar runs roughly 161% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $34.81 in Bahawalnagar versus $307 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bahawalnagar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bahawalnagar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bahawalnagar and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bahawalnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.