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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $430 in Burewala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $638 in Burewala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $846 in Burewala.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 101% more expensive than Burewala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Burewala 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.94 PKR 817

-34.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$8.91 PKR 2,480

109.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.18 PKR 1,162

87.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 PKR 1,254

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.79 PKR 498

8.94%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.51 PKR 142

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 PKR 104

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.88 PKR 245

94.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.79 PKR 218

106.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.19 PKR 610

-47.95%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$0.91 PKR 253

112.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.97 PKR 1,660

171.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.42 PKR 951

-8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.86 PKR 1,910

58.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.35 PKR 376

103.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.72 PKR 201

68.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.67 PKR 187

141.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.23 PKR 63.9

591.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.23 PKR 64.3

508.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.73 PKR 204

60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.33 PKR 92.9

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.35 PKR 96.7

51.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 PKR 385

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 571

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.12 PKR 588

121.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.20 PKR 56.0

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$7.01 PKR 1,949

174.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.92 PKR 257

53.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.40 PKR 112

222.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.75 PKR 487

348.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.93 PKR 257

36.56%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$21.0K PKR 5.9M

1.10%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

-4.41%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$101 PKR 28.0K

-31.27%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$3.97 PKR 1,103

254.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.50 PKR 3,756

33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$12.58 PKR 3,500

226.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.75 PKR 1,600

21.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.59 PKR 999

64.90%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$30.34 PKR 8,440

885.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,124 PKR 312.7K

1230.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$14.87 PKR 4,136

267.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$22.06 PKR 6,136

21.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$71.0 PKR 19.7K

19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$28.94 PKR 8,052

143.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$76.5 PKR 21.3K

459.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$51.7 PKR 14.4K

359.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$170 PKR 47.2K

371.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$106 PKR 29.5K

385.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,119 PKR 311.2K

76.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$575 PKR 159.9K

156.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Burewala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $76.5 in Burewala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $9.00 in Burewala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $107 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 101% 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 $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $646 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $76.5 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 174% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $30.34 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 $430 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 101% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.