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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $304 in Bahawalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $515 in Bahawalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $726 in Bahawalpur.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 212% more expensive than in Bahawalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bahawalpur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$1.76 PKR 488

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$7.23 PKR 2,004

171.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.43 PKR 1,229

27.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 PKR 694

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PKR 610

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.50 PKR 415

20.67%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.31 PKR 85.6

129.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.19 PKR 53.0

68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.56 PKR 156

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.43 PKR 120

248.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.04 PKR 288

28.85%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.00 PKR 276

126.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$8.77 PKR 2,434

85.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.51 PKR 696

17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$4.08 PKR 1,133

143.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.04 PKR 290

147.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$0.56 PKR 155

89.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.58 PKR 160

177.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.48 PKR 133

216.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.31 PKR 86.6

309.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.50 PKR 139

114.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.50 PKR 138

44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.38 PKR 104

34.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.51 PKR 143

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 156

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 206

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.00 PKR 554

109.50%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.10 PKR 306

11.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.06 PKR 294

-45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$2.94 PKR 815

-17.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.14 PKR 317

23.68%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-9.74%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

27.78%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$68.3 PKR 19.0K

-6.82%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.44 PKR 1,230

189.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.59 PKR 3,214

74.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$10.99 PKR 3,049

-63.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$7.28 PKR 2,019

-7.42%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$23.81 PKR 6,605

3167.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$660 PKR 183.1K

2114.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$16.45 PKR 4,564

230.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$21.94 PKR 6,086

16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

77.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$29.16 PKR 8,089

151.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$257 PKR 71.4K

247.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$126 PKR 34.9K

311.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$3,462 PKR 960.4K

-43.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$760 PKR 211.0K

94.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$136 PKR 37.6K

343.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.83

-52.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bahawalpur: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 344% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $7.00 in Bahawalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $91.0 per month, with Bahawalpur 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 Bahawalpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bahawalpur wins on cost – living expenses run 212% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bahawalpur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 344% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 164% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $304 in Bahawalpur – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $304 in Bahawalpur versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bahawalpur but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bahawalpur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bahawalpur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $304 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bahawalpur hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bahawalpur 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 Bahawalpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.