🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $442 in Burewala versus $947 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $657 in Burewala versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $873 in Burewala versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Burewala costs roughly 53% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Burewala68% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.04PKR 565
$2.08฿68.6
-1.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.63PKR 2,948
$19.64฿646
-45.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.39PKR 1,496
$5.65฿186
-4.60%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43PKR 675
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58PKR 1,269
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.47PKR 409
$1.81฿59.4
-18.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36PKR 99.0
$0.71฿23.45
-49.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24PKR 66.3
$0.32฿10.38
-25.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.24฿73.6
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.63฿119
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.82PKR 227
$1.96฿64.4
-58.16%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59PKR 165
$1.50฿49.39
-60.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.16PKR 321
$1.34฿43.93
-13.43%
Eggs
$1.24PKR 345
$2.26฿74.5
-45.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.80PKR 1,610
$16.26฿535
-64.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.62PKR 727
$2.95฿97.1
-11.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.94PKR 1,370
$9.94฿327
-50.30%
Apples(1kg)
$1.13PKR 314
$2.57฿84.6
-56.03%
Banana(1kg)
$0.56PKR 154
$1.06฿34.73
-47.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.74PKR 205
$1.61฿53.0
-54.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.49PKR 135
$1.52฿49.97
-67.76%
Potato(1kg)
$0.27PKR 74.8
$1.27฿41.77
-78.74%
Onion(1kg)
$0.33PKR 90.9
$1.07฿35.06
-69.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.27PKR 75.9
$0.72฿23.68
-62.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37PKR 102
$0.51฿16.72
-27.45%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.87PKR 518
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11PKR 307
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38PKR 659
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.07PKR 576
$4.19฿138
-50.60%
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
-
🚌 Getting Around
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.19PKR 52.7
$0.93฿30.43
-79.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.99PKR 2,771
$53.9฿1,771
-81.45%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.95PKR 263
$1.23฿40.59
-22.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.72PKR 200
$0.58฿18.96
24.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.57PKR 435
$2.42฿79.7
-35.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.05PKR 292
$1.41฿46.43
-25.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8KPKR 6.9M
$21.4K฿705.1K
15.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6KPKR 7.7M
$27.3K฿898.7K
1.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$117PKR 32.5K
$63.7฿2,093
84.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.36PKR 1,487
$12.85฿423
-58.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.54PKR 3,478
$20.22฿665
-37.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.87PKR 4,404
$38.74฿1,274
-59.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.97฿130
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.13PKR 1,145
$6.74฿222
-38.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$36.96PKR 10.3K
$778฿25.6K
-95.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,145PKR 317.7K
$14.6K฿480.4K
-92.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.56PKR 4,039
$54.3฿1,785
-73.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.38PKR 5,377
$25.45฿837
-23.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.0PKR 19.4K
$94.3฿3,102
-25.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.71PKR 7,965
$73.4฿2,415
-60.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$124PKR 34.4K
$490฿16.1K
-74.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$80.7PKR 22.4K
$289฿9,512
-72.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$255PKR 70.7K
$894฿29.4K
-71.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$167PKR 46.4K
$517฿17.0K
-67.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$793PKR 220.0K
$1,955฿64.3K
-59.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$560PKR 155.4K
$1,477฿48.6K
-62.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Burewala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$602฿19.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.88
5.57
131.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Burewala: August 29, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Burewala and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $11.00 in Burewala vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $90.0 vs $240 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
Which city is more expensive, Burewala or Chiang Mai?
Burewala wins on cost – living expenses run 114% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Burewala and in Chiang Mai?
You'd need roughly $663 in Burewala and $1,421 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Burewala compared to Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $124 in Burewala versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Burewala compared to Chiang Mai?
A monthly transit pass in Burewala runs roughly 439% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Burewala and in Chiang Mai?
Childcare runs $36.96 in Burewala versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Burewala or in Chiang Mai?
At $442 in Burewala versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Burewala but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Burewala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Burewala or Chiang Mai?
Both work as nomad bases, but Burewala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $442 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burewala hard to pass up.
How safe is Burewala compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Burewala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.