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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $450 in Bahawalnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $657 in Bahawalnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $865 in Bahawalnagar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 89% more expensive than in Bahawalnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bahawalnagar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.10 PKR 583

-2.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$13.92 PKR 3,862

34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.32 PKR 1,199

81.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 PKR 765

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 PKR 1,001

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.27 PKR 630

-10.57%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.33 PKR 91.0

142.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.21 PKR 58.1

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.85 PKR 235

103.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.57 PKR 158

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.21 PKR 335

-0.83%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.18 PKR 326

66.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.15 PKR 1,706

163.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.34 PKR 649

30.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$1.29 PKR 359

737.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.86 PKR 240

222.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.64 PKR 177

82.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.56 PKR 156

205.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.48 PKR 133

231.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.35 PKR 98.0

297.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.49 PKR 135

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.45 PKR 124

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.38 PKR 106

36.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 309

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 PKR 150

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.90 PKR 527

144.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.20 PKR 54.1

355.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$6.93 PKR 1,923

168.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.68 PKR 187

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.50 PKR 138

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.72 PKR 479

371.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.93 PKR 259

32.26%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$17.8K PKR 5.0M

20.13%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

-4.73%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$141 PKR 39.2K

-49.48%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$5.42 PKR 1,503

158.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$17.30 PKR 4,802

3.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$12.42 PKR 3,447

228.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.09 PKR 1,691

12.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.21 PKR 1,167

35.87%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$34.65 PKR 9,615

789.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,230 PKR 341.4K

1093.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$15.24 PKR 4,230

265.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$22.48 PKR 6,239

15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$73.1 PKR 20.3K

16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$30.04 PKR 8,338

136.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$76.1 PKR 21.1K

455.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

367.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$168 PKR 46.6K

375.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$105 PKR 29.0K

384.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$911 PKR 252.7K

110.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$463 PKR 128.4K

216.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bahawalnagar: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $76.1 in Bahawalnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Bahawalnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 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 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $675 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $76.1 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 169% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $34.65 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 89% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.