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: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $442 in Burewala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $657 in Burewala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $873 in Burewala.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 114% more expensive than in Burewala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Burewala 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$2.04 PKR 565

1.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$10.63 PKR 2,948

84.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.39 PKR 1,496

4.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 PKR 675

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 PKR 1,269

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.47 PKR 409

23.13%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.36 PKR 99.0

97.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.24 PKR 66.3

33.33%

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

$0.82 PKR 227

139.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.59 PKR 165

154.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.16 PKR 321

15.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.24 PKR 345

82.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$5.80 PKR 1,610

180.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.62 PKR 727

12.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$4.94 PKR 1,370

101.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.13 PKR 314

127.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$0.56 PKR 154

89.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.74 PKR 205

117.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.49 PKR 135

210.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.27 PKR 74.8

370.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.33 PKR 90.9

224.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.27 PKR 75.9

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.37 PKR 102

37.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 PKR 518

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 307

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PKR 659

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.07 PKR 576

102.42%

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

$0.19 PKR 52.7

389.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$9.99 PKR 2,771

439.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.95 PKR 263

29.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.72 PKR 200

-19.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$1.57 PKR 435

54.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.05 PKR 292

34.29%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$24.8K PKR 6.9M

-13.62%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$27.6K PKR 7.7M

-1.04%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$117 PKR 32.5K

-45.72%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$5.36 PKR 1,487

139.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$12.54 PKR 3,478

61.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$15.87 PKR 4,404

144.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$4.13 PKR 1,145

63.20%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$36.96 PKR 10.3K

2004.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$1,145 PKR 317.7K

1175.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$14.56 PKR 4,039

272.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$19.38 PKR 5,377

31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$70.0 PKR 19.4K

34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$28.71 PKR 7,965

155.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$124 PKR 34.4K

294.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$80.7 PKR 22.4K

258.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$255 PKR 70.7K

250.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$167 PKR 46.4K

209.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$793 PKR 220.0K

146.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$560 PKR 155.4K

163.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.88

-56.75%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Burewala: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $124 in Burewala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $11.00 in Burewala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $90.0 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 114% 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 $1,421 in Chiang Mai and $663 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $124 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 439% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $36.96 in Burewala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $442 in Burewala versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Burewala but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Burewala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burewala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $442 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 114% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.