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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $419 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $630 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $841 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 122% 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 32% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.83 PKR 507

13.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$10.92 PKR 3,026

79.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.46 PKR 1,513

3.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PKR 691

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 PKR 597

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.45 PKR 401

24.83%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.46 PKR 128

67.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.30 PKR 82.3

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.84 PKR 233

144.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.62 PKR 172

143.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.26 PKR 350

11.11%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.19 PKR 329

89.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.77 PKR 2,430

84.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.64 PKR 731

9.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$4.00 PKR 1,107

135.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.09 PKR 302

145.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.62 PKR 171

75.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.54 PKR 151

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.48 PKR 132

204.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.29 PKR 79.6

341.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.52 PKR 145

103.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.50 PKR 139

44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.40 PKR 110

32.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 PKR 144

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 209

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.32 PKR 642

82.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.18 PKR 50.9

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$9.94 PKR 2,752

440.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.10 PKR 303

6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.06 PKR 295

-45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.92 PKR 809

-18.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.95 PKR 264

52.63%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.3K PKR 6.4M

-9.69%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

15.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

-6.58%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$5.66 PKR 1,569

127.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$14.51 PKR 4,020

41.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$15.18 PKR 4,206

157.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.09 PKR 1,964

-7.19%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$26.95 PKR 7,465

2808.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,022 PKR 560.1K

625.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$19.03 PKR 5,272

189.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$26.07 PKR 7,222

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

77.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$29.24 PKR 8,100

152.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$140 PKR 38.8K

249.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$86.4 PKR 23.9K

233.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$222 PKR 61.5K

301.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$141 PKR 39.0K

269.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$905 PKR 250.6K

118.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$517 PKR 143.2K

179.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.83

-52.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $140 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $98.0 – 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 122% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $629 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $26.95 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 145% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dera Ghazi Khan, where all-in costs run around $419, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Dera Ghazi Khan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dera Ghazi Khan costs $419 versus $932 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.