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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $291 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $465 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $640 in Dera Ghazi Khan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 199% 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 35% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.17 PKR 325

69.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$10.58 PKR 2,942

77.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$2.43 PKR 676

218.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 PKR 289

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 499

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.50 PKR 417

28.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.34 PKR 93.2

132.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.22 PKR 61.0

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.72 PKR 199

129.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.46 PKR 128

254.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.27 PKR 353

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.19 PKR 331

68.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$2.72 PKR 757

487.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$1.97 PKR 548

53.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$3.11 PKR 865

249.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.03 PKR 286

167.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.58 PKR 161

103.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.65 PKR 181

152.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.55 PKR 154

176.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.35 PKR 96.7

294.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.42 PKR 117

183.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.62 PKR 173

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.34 PKR 94.0

64.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.96 PKR 267

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 562

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.73 PKR 481

164.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.19 PKR 54.1

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$7.18 PKR 1,996

160.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.04 PKR 290

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 PKR 91.9

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.75 PKR 487

348.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.90 PKR 251

36.67%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-3.49%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

6.40%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$58.2 PKR 16.2K

21.27%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$2.28 PKR 633

500.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$12.90 PKR 3,586

35.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$12.20 PKR 3,391

238.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.02 PKR 1,673

15.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.46 PKR 962

66.76%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$28.04 PKR 7,795

995.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,114 PKR 309.8K

1211.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$16.22 PKR 4,510

243.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$21.88 PKR 6,082

19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$59.6 PKR 16.6K

43.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$25.80 PKR 7,173

180.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$55.8 PKR 15.5K

670.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$30.32 PKR 8,430

687.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$118 PKR 32.8K

593.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

666.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$915 PKR 254.5K

116.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$480 PKR 133.5K

209.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 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 $11.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $71.0 – 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 199% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $436 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $28.04 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 238% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $291 in Dera Ghazi Khan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dera Ghazi Khan costs $291 versus $869 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.