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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $304 in Bahawalpur versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $515 in Bahawalpur versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $726 in Bahawalpur versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bahawalpur costs roughly 68% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bahawalpur 78% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 PKR 488

$2.08 ฿68.6

-15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.23 PKR 2,004

$19.64 ฿646

-63.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 PKR 1,229

$5.65 ฿186

-21.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 PKR 694

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PKR 610

Cappuccino

$1.50 PKR 415

$1.81 ฿59.4

-17.13%

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

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$0.71 ฿23.45

-56.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 PKR 53.0

$0.32 ฿10.38

-40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.96 ฿64.4

-71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 PKR 120

$1.50 ฿49.39

-71.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.34 ฿43.93

-22.39%

Eggs

$1.00 PKR 276

$2.26 ฿74.5

-55.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 PKR 2,434

$16.26 ฿535

-46.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.51 PKR 696

$2.95 ฿97.1

-14.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.08 PKR 1,133

$9.94 ฿327

-58.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 290

$2.57 ฿84.6

-59.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.06 ฿34.73

-47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$1.61 ฿53.0

-63.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$1.52 ฿49.97

-68.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.6

$1.27 ฿41.77

-75.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$1.07 ฿35.06

-53.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 PKR 138

$0.72 ฿23.68

-30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.51 ฿16.72

-25.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.51 PKR 143

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 156

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 206

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 PKR 554

$4.19 ฿138

-52.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 PKR 306

$1.23 ฿40.59

-10.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 PKR 294

$0.58 ฿18.96

82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PKR 815

$2.42 ฿79.7

21.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 PKR 317

$1.41 ฿46.43

-19.15%

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

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

10.80%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-21.74%

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

$68.3 PKR 19.0K

$63.7 ฿2,093

7.32%

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

$4.44 PKR 1,230

$12.85 ฿423

-65.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.59 PKR 3,214

$20.22 ฿665

-42.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 PKR 3,049

$3.97 ฿130

176.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 PKR 2,019

$6.74 ฿222

8.01%

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

$23.81 PKR 6,605

$778 ฿25.6K

-96.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$660 PKR 183.1K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-95.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.45 PKR 4,564

$54.3 ฿1,785

-69.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,086

$25.45 ฿837

-13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

$94.3 ฿3,102

-43.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.16 PKR 8,089

$73.4 ฿2,415

-60.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 PKR 71.4K

$894 ฿29.4K

-71.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$517 ฿17.0K

-75.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,462 PKR 960.4K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

77.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 PKR 211.0K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-48.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$136 PKR 37.6K

$602 ฿19.8K

-77.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

5.57

112.39%

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

Last update for Bahawalpur: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 344% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $7.00 in Bahawalpur vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $91.0 vs $240 per month, with Bahawalpur 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

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

Bahawalpur wins on cost – living expenses run 212% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bahawalpur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 344% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 164% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $304 per month in Bahawalpur versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $304 in Bahawalpur versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bahawalpur but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bahawalpur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bahawalpur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $304 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bahawalpur hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bahawalpur 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 Bahawalpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.