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 $293 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $458 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $623 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 191% 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.14 PKR 317

71.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$10.47 PKR 2,918

79.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$2.45 PKR 683

223.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 PKR 302

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 PKR 507

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.50 PKR 419

27.33%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.31 PKR 85.1

170.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.22 PKR 61.3

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.76 PKR 212

115.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.42 PKR 118

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.23 PKR 343

-4.07%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.19 PKR 333

68.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$2.67 PKR 745

495.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$1.91 PKR 532

57.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$3.11 PKR 867

246.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.03 PKR 286

153.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.55 PKR 152

121.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.59 PKR 166

188.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.52 PKR 146

203.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.34 PKR 95.6

288.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.39 PKR 109

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.59 PKR 164

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.36 PKR 101

55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 260

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 551

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.80 PKR 503

151.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.19 PKR 53.1

368.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.12 PKR 1,985

172.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.03 PKR 288

31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.31 PKR 85.5

335.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$1.74 PKR 484

374.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.96 PKR 269

32.29%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.7K PKR 6.1M

-2.68%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

8.06%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$59.0 PKR 16.5K

18.84%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$2.26 PKR 631

509.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$13.04 PKR 3,634

34.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$12.39 PKR 3,455

235.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.84 PKR 1,628

13.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.55 PKR 991

62.82%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$28.44 PKR 7,929

976.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,139 PKR 317.4K

1201.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$16.17 PKR 4,508

236.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$22.18 PKR 6,184

17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$59.8 PKR 16.7K

41.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$25.80 PKR 7,192

169.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$55.8 PKR 15.6K

659.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$30.29 PKR 8,444

686.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$116 PKR 32.4K

610.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$68.1 PKR 19.0K

657.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$805 PKR 224.5K

154.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$564 PKR 157.2K

170.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $55.8 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: $243 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 191% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $439 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $28.44 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 246% 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 $293 in Dera Ghazi Khan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dera Ghazi Khan costs $293 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.