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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $848 in Chiang Mai versus $442 in Bahawalnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Chiang Mai versus $656 in Bahawalnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Chiang Mai versus $869 in Bahawalnagar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 92% more expensive than Bahawalnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$2.06 PKR 574

-4.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$14.37 PKR 3,994

27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$4.30 PKR 1,195

83.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 PKR 766

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,002

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.35 PKR 653

-17.02%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.33 PKR 90.7

157.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.21 PKR 58.2

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.86 PKR 240

93.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.61 PKR 169

155.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.21 PKR 336

-1.65%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.17 PKR 324

70.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$5.86 PKR 1,629

177.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$2.37 PKR 659

33.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$1.29 PKR 359

740.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$0.91 PKR 254

191.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$0.61 PKR 169

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$0.58 PKR 161

184.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.48 PKR 133

222.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.35 PKR 98.1

280.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.51 PKR 143

137.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.45 PKR 124

51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.35 PKR 98.0

62.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 246

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 237

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.00 PKR 555

134.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.18 PKR 49.63

405.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$7.26 PKR 2,019

158.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.72 PKR 201

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.49 PKR 138

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$1.72 PKR 478

373.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.90 PKR 249

42.22%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

22.00%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

-4.37%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$138 PKR 38.5K

-49.04%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$5.34 PKR 1,484

163.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$16.99 PKR 4,724

3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$12.43 PKR 3,456

232.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$5.94 PKR 1,652

13.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$4.17 PKR 1,158

42.93%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$34.36 PKR 9,553

781.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$1,243 PKR 345.5K

1103.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$15.04 PKR 4,181

263.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$23.21 PKR 6,452

13.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$73.1 PKR 20.3K

17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$30.54 PKR 8,492

128.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

479.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

356.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$164 PKR 45.6K

394.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$105 PKR 29.1K

386.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$950 PKR 264.3K

113.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$507 PKR 140.9K

196.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-74.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bahawalnagar: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $73.9 in Bahawalnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Bahawalnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $79.0 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

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

Bahawalnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,272 in Chiang Mai and $663 in Bahawalnagar 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $73.9 in Bahawalnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bahawalnagar runs roughly 158% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $303 in Chiang Mai versus $34.36 in Bahawalnagar. 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, Chiang Mai and Bahawalnagar 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 92% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.