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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Burewala versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $646 in Burewala versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $866 in Burewala versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Burewala costs roughly 51% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Burewala 68% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 PKR 853

$1.96 ฿65.8

56.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.03 PKR 2,507

$18.35 ฿617

-50.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,148

$7.48 ฿252

-44.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.41 PKR 1,223

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 PKR 956

Cappuccino

$1.82 PKR 506

$2.02 ฿67.8

-9.90%

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

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.85 ฿28.50

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.36 ฿11.96

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 246

$1.65 ฿55.5

-46.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 PKR 217

$1.57 ฿52.7

-50.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 PKR 620

$1.19 ฿40.02

87.39%

Eggs

$0.88 PKR 244

$1.94 ฿65.1

-54.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PKR 1,709

$16.19 ฿544

-62.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 PKR 930

$2.99 ฿101

12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 PKR 1,941

$10.94 ฿368

-36.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 PKR 377

$2.71 ฿91.2

-49.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 PKR 215

$1.17 ฿39.25

-34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 184

$1.69 ฿56.7

-60.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.25 PKR 69.7

$1.60 ฿54.0

-84.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$1.38 ฿46.54

-84.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 204

$1.20 ฿40.45

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.67 ฿22.50

-53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 95.8

$0.56 ฿18.73

-39.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.37 PKR 382

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 546

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 583

$4.64 ฿156

-54.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 PKR 57.0

$0.88 ฿29.68

-76.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.23 PKR 2,009

$19.34 ฿650

-62.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$1.36 ฿45.90

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.34 ฿44.98

-69.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 502

$8.21 ฿276

-77.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$1.22 ฿41.18

-18.85%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-0.49%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

2.45%

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

$101 PKR 28.1K

$70.7 ฿2,376

43.44%

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

$4.17 PKR 1,157

$14.04 ฿472

-70.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 PKR 3,771

$17.49 ฿588

-22.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.24 PKR 3,399

$42.15 ฿1,417

-70.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 PKR 1,667

$6.88 ฿231

-12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 PKR 973

$5.92 ฿199

-40.71%

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

$29.88 PKR 8,298

$309 ฿10.4K

-90.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,120 PKR 311.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-92.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.19 PKR 4,217

$55.8 ฿1,875

-72.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.37 PKR 6,213

$26.11 ฿878

-14.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 PKR 19.7K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.25 PKR 8,122

$70.5 ฿2,369

-58.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$432 ฿14.5K

-82.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

$239 ฿8,035

-78.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.4K

$822 ฿27.7K

-80.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 PKR 29.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

-79.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$927 PKR 257.5K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-51.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$492 PKR 136.7K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-66.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

280.00%

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

Last update for Burewala: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.1 in Burewala and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $9.00 in Burewala vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $243 per month, with Burewala 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

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

Burewala wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burewala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $639 in Burewala and $1,292 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: $75.1 in Burewala versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Burewala runs roughly 167% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $29.88 in Burewala versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Burewala gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burewala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burewala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Burewala 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 Burewala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.