Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gilgit

For one person, living is cheaper in Gilgit: $439 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Gilgit
Learn more

Gilgit Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Gilgit

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$439

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Gilgit

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Gilgit actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $439 in Gilgit, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Gilgit $439

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $656 in Gilgit, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Gilgit $656

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $872 in Gilgit, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Gilgit $872

Chiang Mai costs about 111% more than Gilgit, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Gilgit are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Gilgit 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$1.48 PKR 411

54.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$10.94 PKR 3,029

79.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.30 PKR 1,467

5.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PKR 719

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 PKR 1,464

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.64 PKR 454

1.22%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.32 PKR 89.9

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.21 PKR 58.3

47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.79 PKR 220

146.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.64 PKR 176

120.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.14 PKR 315

14.91%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.14 PKR 316

91.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$5.62 PKR 1,556

196.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$2.46 PKR 682

12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$4.86 PKR 1,344

87.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.17 PKR 325

104.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.55 PKR 152

87.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.79 PKR 219

106.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.56 PKR 155

167.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.30 PKR 83.8

330.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.39 PKR 107

184.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.45 PKR 124

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.37 PKR 103

43.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 PKR 499

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 307

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 PKR 649

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.95 PKR 539

121.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.17 PKR 48.31

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$10.11 PKR 2,797

427.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.06 PKR 292

14.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.71 PKR 196

-19.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$1.61 PKR 444

45.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.18 PKR 326

22.03%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

-2.86%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$24.4K PKR 6.7M

9.94%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$100 PKR 27.7K

-37.78%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$5.54 PKR 1,535

118.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$14.42 PKR 3,991

38.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$15.11 PKR 4,182

145.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$8.27 PKR 2,289

-54.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.35 PKR 1,204

49.43%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$43.23 PKR 12.0K

1733.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$1,055 PKR 292.1K

1303.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$17.11 PKR 4,735

214.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$23.40 PKR 6,476

5.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$66.6 PKR 18.4K

36.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$33.21 PKR 9,191

114.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$126 PKR 34.8K

262.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$76.8 PKR 21.3K

287.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$257 PKR 71.0K

253.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$150 PKR 41.6K

268.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$926 PKR 256.4K

108.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$474 PKR 131.2K

204.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-57.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Gilgit

$77 17.5% 74.2% $221

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Gilgit

$90 20.6% 61.7% $145

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Gilgit

$63 14.4% 41.6% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Gilgit

$120 27.4% 27.3% $26

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Gilgit

$50 11.3% 36.9% $29

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Gilgit

$15 3.5% 74.6% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Gilgit

$24 5.4% 52.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $126 in Gilgit. 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 Gilgit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $90.0 – making Gilgit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇰 Gilgit

🕒 Local time

21:53 9:53 PM

19:53 7:53 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

216,760

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Gilgit 3,080 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Gilgit

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gilgit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 111% more than Gilgit, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $659 in Gilgit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $43.23 in Gilgit. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 161% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gilgit, where all-in costs run around $439, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Gilgit 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. Gilgit costs $439 versus $925 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 Gilgit. 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.