Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gujranwala Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gujranwala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $372 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $555 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $738 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 132% more than Gujranwala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gujranwala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Gujranwala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$0.55 PKR 152

256.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$14.07 PKR 3,906

30.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.33 PKR 1,479

40.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 PKR 233

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 PKR 1,075

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.30 PKR 360

55.38%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.20 PKR 55.5

325.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.18 PKR 50.5

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.71 PKR 197

132.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.67 PKR 186

134.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.14 PKR 316

4.39%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.10 PKR 304

76.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.13 PKR 1,702

164.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.47 PKR 685

21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.00 PKR 1,111

173.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.00 PKR 278

171.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.61 PKR 169

91.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.88 PKR 244

92.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.46 PKR 127

247.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.36 PKR 99.6

283.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.46 PKR 127

160.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.31 PKR 85.9

116.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.35 PKR 97.2

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.79 PKR 497

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 572

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.99 PKR 552

133.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.18 PKR 50.9

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$7.04 PKR 1,955

174.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.55 PKR 153

147.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.43 PKR 120

211.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.38 PKR 384

494.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.93 PKR 259

31.18%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

1.32%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$14.1K PKR 3.9M

59.59%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$111 PKR 30.8K

-36.29%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$3.60 PKR 999

290.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$16.44 PKR 4,566

6.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$4.64 PKR 1,289

808.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$2.79 PKR 776

146.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.42 PKR 951

73.10%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$17.06 PKR 4,738

1708.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$859 PKR 238.5K

1632.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$12.61 PKR 3,502

342.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$24.34 PKR 6,759

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

-6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$21.33 PKR 5,922

230.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$55.2 PKR 15.3K

682.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$19.62 PKR 5,447

1117.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$115 PKR 31.8K

617.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$56.8 PKR 15.8K

802.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$232 PKR 64.4K

149.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-75.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $55.2 in Gujranwala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 150% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Gujranwala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $87.0 – making Gujranwala 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 Gujranwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 132% more than Gujranwala, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $557 in Gujranwala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $17.06 in Gujranwala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 179% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $372 in Gujranwala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gujranwala costs $372 versus $861 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 Gujranwala. 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.