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: $440 in Bahawalnagar versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $657 in Bahawalnagar versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $874 in Bahawalnagar versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bahawalnagar costs roughly 48% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bahawalnagar 67% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 PKR 604

$1.96 ฿64.0

10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.34 PKR 3,998

$18.81 ฿615

-23.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.19 PKR 1,167

$7.92 ฿259

-47.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 766

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 PKR 1,011

Cappuccino

$2.34 PKR 652

$1.91 ฿62.6

22.51%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.9

$0.84 ฿27.41

-60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.4

$0.35 ฿11.51

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.64 ฿53.5

-47.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 169

$1.62 ฿53.1

-62.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.18 ฿38.62

2.54%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$2.01 ฿65.8

-41.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,688

$15.89 ฿520

-61.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 663

$3.01 ฿98.5

-20.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$10.77 ฿352

-88.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 PKR 245

$2.61 ฿85.5

-66.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 176

$1.22 ฿39.88

-48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 171

$1.70 ฿55.7

-64.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 PKR 122

$1.58 ฿51.5

-72.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.7

$1.32 ฿43.14

-73.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.17 ฿38.23

-55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.67 ฿21.98

-32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.56 ฿18.32

-32.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.70 PKR 194

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 245

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 553

$4.53 ฿148

-56.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 54.1

$0.89 ฿29.00

-78.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.01 PKR 1,954

$19.38 ฿634

-63.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.35 ฿44.20

-45.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 PKR 147

$1.35 ฿44.05

-60.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 489

$8.25 ฿270

-78.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 246

$1.27 ฿41.64

-30.71%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-17.27%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

1.80%

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

$139 PKR 38.7K

$70.2 ฿2,294

97.88%

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

$5.47 PKR 1,526

$13.77 ฿450

-60.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 PKR 4,782

$17.60 ฿575

-2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.61 PKR 3,515

$41.57 ฿1,360

-69.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 PKR 1,657

$6.60 ฿216

-9.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,195

$5.78 ฿189

-25.78%

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

$35.17 PKR 9,805

$306 ฿10.0K

-88.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,242 PKR 346.1K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-91.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.19 PKR 4,236

$54.4 ฿1,778

-72.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 PKR 6,314

$26.14 ฿855

-13.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 PKR 20.5K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.67 PKR 8,549

$69.4 ฿2,270

-55.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.4K

$424 ฿13.9K

-81.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

$238 ฿7,788

-78.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 46.2K

$825 ฿27.0K

-79.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 PKR 29.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

-79.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 PKR 257.6K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-54.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$557 PKR 155.3K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-63.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.6 in Bahawalnagar and $424 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 $79.0 vs $243 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $661 in Bahawalnagar and $1,278 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: $76.6 in Bahawalnagar versus $424 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 176% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $35.17 in Bahawalnagar versus $306 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 93% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.