Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dera Ghazi Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dera Ghazi Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $298 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $466 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $634 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 186% more than Dera Ghazi Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dera Ghazi Khan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.16 PKR 322

75.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$10.42 PKR 2,893

79.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$2.41 PKR 669

226.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 PKR 290

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 PKR 482

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.46 PKR 404

39.04%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.31 PKR 86.0

158.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.24 PKR 67.0

45.83%

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

$0.71 PKR 196

143.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.42 PKR 116

273.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.27 PKR 352

-5.51%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.15 PKR 318

71.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$2.61 PKR 723

521.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$1.92 PKR 532

59.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$3.10 PKR 860

248.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.98 PKR 273

182.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.59 PKR 163

98.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.60 PKR 167

185.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.55 PKR 153

189.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.35 PKR 96.2

297.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.40 PKR 110

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.60 PKR 166

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.36 PKR 101

44.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.98 PKR 272

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PKR 239

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.74 PKR 482

167.24%

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

$0.17 PKR 48.13

435.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$6.88 PKR 1,909

170.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.03 PKR 286

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 PKR 92.2

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.78 PKR 495

355.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.97 PKR 268

26.80%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$22.3K PKR 6.2M

-3.68%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

2.71%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$57.8 PKR 16.0K

23.45%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$2.36 PKR 655

493.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$13.00 PKR 3,607

37.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$12.55 PKR 3,484

225.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$5.86 PKR 1,625

17.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.62 PKR 1,005

58.01%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$28.34 PKR 7,865

987.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,117 PKR 310.1K

1213.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$16.05 PKR 4,453

247.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$22.46 PKR 6,233

15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

40.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$25.63 PKR 7,114

176.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$57.4 PKR 15.9K

637.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$29.72 PKR 8,249

715.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$115 PKR 31.8K

595.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$66.8 PKR 18.5K

658.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$891 PKR 247.3K

115.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$483 PKR 134.1K

202.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-72.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $57.4 in Dera Ghazi Khan. 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 $10.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $70.0 – making Dera Ghazi Khan 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 Dera Ghazi Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 186% more than Dera Ghazi Khan, 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 $448 in Dera Ghazi Khan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dera Ghazi Khan, 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 $28.34 in Dera Ghazi Khan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 250% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $298 in Dera Ghazi Khan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dera Ghazi Khan costs $298 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 Dera Ghazi Khan. 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.