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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $452 in Haroonabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $665 in Haroonabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $877 in Haroonabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Haroonabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Haroonabad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Haroonabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$2.15 PKR 596

-5.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$10.42 PKR 2,893

79.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$4.21 PKR 1,170

86.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 PKR 776

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 PKR 1,038

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$2.29 PKR 635

-15.72%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$0.33 PKR 91.0

151.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$0.23 PKR 64.0

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.95 PKR 265

73.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$0.61 PKR 170

154.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$1.17 PKR 325

0.85%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$1.20 PKR 333

67.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$6.15 PKR 1,708

162.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$2.45 PKR 680

23.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$4.49 PKR 1,248

141.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$1.05 PKR 292

155.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$0.65 PKR 180

87.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$0.61 PKR 169

167.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.48 PKR 133

218.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$0.35 PKR 97.5

282.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$0.48 PKR 132

152.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$0.48 PKR 133

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.37 PKR 101

43.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.07 PKR 296

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 154

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 294

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$1.89 PKR 526

148.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$0.20 PKR 56.4

345.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$7.27 PKR 2,019

158.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$0.68 PKR 190

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.49 PKR 137

163.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$1.81 PKR 503

330.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$0.88 PKR 245

46.59%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

23.83%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

-6.18%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$136 PKR 37.8K

-48.65%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$5.30 PKR 1,470

167.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$10.53 PKR 2,923

65.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$12.50 PKR 3,471

233.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$6.07 PKR 1,686

13.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$4.15 PKR 1,153

39.28%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$10.78 PKR 2,993

2680.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$1,070 PKR 297.0K

1257.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$10.46 PKR 2,904

429.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$22.51 PKR 6,250

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$72.3 PKR 20.1K

17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$28.06 PKR 7,791

151.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

467.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

359.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$168 PKR 46.7K

377.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$104 PKR 29.0K

393.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$818 PKR 227.2K

135.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$491 PKR 136.2K

195.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-74.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $74.9 in Haroonabad. 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 Haroonabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $92.0 – making Haroonabad 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 Haroonabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Haroonabad, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $679 in Haroonabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $10.78 in Haroonabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 165% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $452 in Haroonabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Haroonabad costs $452 versus $847 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 Haroonabad. 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.