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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $460 in Daska, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $697 in Daska, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $934 in Daska, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Daska, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Daska are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Daska 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.91 PKR 808

-29.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$14.00 PKR 3,885

33.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.40 PKR 1,500

45.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 496

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,059

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.09 PKR 579

-2.87%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.39 PKR 109

105.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.22 PKR 60.8

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.00 PKR 277

73.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.62 PKR 173

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.23 PKR 340

-2.44%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.25 PKR 348

57.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.31 PKR 1,752

157.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.43 PKR 951

-10.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.49 PKR 1,245

140.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.00 PKR 276

177.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.78 PKR 215

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.93 PKR 259

83.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.56 PKR 155

183.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.41 PKR 115

239.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.54 PKR 149

114.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.33 PKR 92.3

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.40 PKR 112

30.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.41 PKR 391

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.08 PKR 578

123.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.16 PKR 43.95

468.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$7.24 PKR 2,011

157.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.92 PKR 254

53.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.44 PKR 121

204.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.76 PKR 767

193.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.93 PKR 258

32.26%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.1K PKR 5.8M

1.71%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-18.12%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$111 PKR 30.9K

-35.89%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$5.60 PKR 1,555

150.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$18.65 PKR 5,175

-3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$12.16 PKR 3,374

235.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.07 PKR 1,683

13.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.23 PKR 1,173

35.22%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$61.1 PKR 17.0K

404.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,102 PKR 305.9K

1231.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$21.88 PKR 6,072

154.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.56 PKR 7,648

-5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$87.0 PKR 24.1K

-2.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$40.47 PKR 11.2K

75.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

458.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

370.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$170 PKR 47.2K

368.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$108 PKR 29.9K

370.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$817 PKR 226.6K

134.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$514 PKR 142.7K

184.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-75.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Daska: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $75.8 in Daska. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Daska. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $100 – making Daska the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Daska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Daska, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $691 in Daska. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daska, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $61.1 in Daska. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 144% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $460 in Daska, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Daska costs $460 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Daska. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.