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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $426 in Burewala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $646 in Burewala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $866 in Burewala.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 102% more expensive than in Burewala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Burewala 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.07 PKR 853

-36.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$9.03 PKR 2,507

103.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.14 PKR 1,148

80.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.41 PKR 1,223

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 PKR 956

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.82 PKR 506

10.99%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.50 PKR 140

70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.37 PKR 103

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.89 PKR 246

85.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.78 PKR 217

101.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.23 PKR 620

-46.64%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$0.88 PKR 244

120.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.15 PKR 1,709

163.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.35 PKR 930

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.99 PKR 1,941

56.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.36 PKR 377

99.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.77 PKR 215

51.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.66 PKR 184

156.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.25 PKR 69.7

540.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.21 PKR 58.3

557.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.73 PKR 204

64.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.31 PKR 85.7

116.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.34 PKR 95.8

64.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.37 PKR 382

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 546

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.10 PKR 583

120.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.21 PKR 57.0

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$7.23 PKR 2,009

167.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.85 PKR 236

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.41 PKR 113

226.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.81 PKR 502

353.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.99 PKR 274

23.23%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

0.49%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

-2.39%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$101 PKR 28.1K

-30.29%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.17 PKR 1,157

236.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$13.58 PKR 3,771

28.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$12.24 PKR 3,399

244.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$6.00 PKR 1,667

14.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.51 PKR 973

68.66%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$29.88 PKR 8,298

932.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,120 PKR 311.1K

1227.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$15.19 PKR 4,217

267.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$22.37 PKR 6,213

16.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$70.8 PKR 19.7K

17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$29.25 PKR 8,122

140.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

475.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

361.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$164 PKR 45.4K

402.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$106 PKR 29.5K

382.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$927 PKR 257.5K

106.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$492 PKR 136.7K

198.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-73.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Burewala: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $75.1 in Burewala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $9.00 in Burewala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $108 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

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

Burewala wins on cost – living expenses run 102% 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.

You'd need roughly $1,292 in Chiang Mai and $639 in Burewala 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $75.1 in Burewala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Burewala runs roughly 167% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $29.88 in Burewala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Burewala gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burewala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burewala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Burewala 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 Burewala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.