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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $503 in Bahawalnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $741 in Bahawalnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $979 in Bahawalnagar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 85% more expensive than in Bahawalnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bahawalnagar 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$2.54 PKR 704

-18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$14.30 PKR 3,961

37.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.66 PKR 1,567

0.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 PKR 1,023

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,461

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.57 PKR 711

-29.57%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.39 PKR 108

97.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.26 PKR 72.1

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$0.88 PKR 245

132.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.68 PKR 189

122.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.21 PKR 334

15.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.17 PKR 323

93.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$6.40 PKR 1,772

152.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.48 PKR 686

16.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$4.92 PKR 1,362

91.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.22 PKR 339

119.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.64 PKR 178

70.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$0.92 PKR 254

76.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$0.62 PKR 171

135.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.28 PKR 77.1

357.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.33 PKR 90.1

221.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.47 PKR 129

53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.33 PKR 92.5

60.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.09 PKR 303

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 PKR 178

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PKR 461

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.12 PKR 588

99.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.19 PKR 51.8

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$10.47 PKR 2,900

413.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.93 PKR 258

25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.69 PKR 191

-15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$1.81 PKR 503

32.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.33 PKR 369

9.02%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

16.05%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-0.56%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$128 PKR 35.6K

-50.46%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$5.13 PKR 1,422

151.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$16.41 PKR 4,546

25.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$16.30 PKR 4,514

139.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.34 PKR 1,203

51.61%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$46.41 PKR 12.9K

1589.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$2,005 PKR 555.5K

631.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$17.76 PKR 4,918

210.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$27.19 PKR 7,531

-9.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$74.4 PKR 20.6K

26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$31.60 PKR 8,752

134.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$121 PKR 33.4K

306.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

278.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$267 PKR 73.9K

234.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$149 PKR 41.2K

250.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$966 PKR 267.7K

104.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$463 PKR 128.3K

211.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.28

-60.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bahawalnagar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $121 in Bahawalnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Bahawalnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $96.0 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $754 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $121 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 414% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $46.41 in Bahawalnagar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $503 in Bahawalnagar versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bahawalnagar but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bahawalnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 85% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.