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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $444 in Haroonabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $661 in Haroonabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $878 in Haroonabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 95% more than Haroonabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Haroonabad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Haroonabad 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$2.16 PKR 602

-10.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$10.76 PKR 2,993

73.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.34 PKR 1,207

80.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 801

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 PKR 1,044

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$2.38 PKR 661

-18.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.88

$0.35 PKR 97.4

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.63

$0.21 PKR 58.3

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$0.95 PKR 264

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.58 PKR 160

181.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.30

$1.16 PKR 322

-1.72%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$1.20 PKR 335

60.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$5.87 PKR 1,633

176.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.43 PKR 676

28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$4.43 PKR 1,232

146.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.3

$1.01 PKR 282

172.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.68

$0.65 PKR 180

86.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$0.61 PKR 171

165.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.0

$0.48 PKR 134

231.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.89

$0.33 PKR 90.8

324.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.32

$0.48 PKR 134

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.69

$0.48 PKR 133

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.29

$0.36 PKR 102

47.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 246

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 142

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 307

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$1.91 PKR 531

145.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.37

$0.15 PKR 42.95

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$7.09 PKR 1,972

170.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.10

$0.73 PKR 203

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.29

$0.49 PKR 136

163.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$1.82 PKR 507

330.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.75

$0.91 PKR 252

39.56%

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

$21.3K ฿697.7K

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

18.23%

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

$22.2K ฿728.3K

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

-3.02%

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

$69.1 ฿2,265

$137 PKR 38.1K

-49.55%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$5.34 PKR 1,487

163.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿590

$10.49 PKR 2,919

71.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,346

$12.37 PKR 3,441

231.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$5.85 PKR 1,628

18.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$4.13 PKR 1,150

43.34%

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

$299 ฿9,805

$10.58 PKR 2,944

2726.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.3K

$1,043 PKR 290.3K

1333.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,794

$10.74 PKR 2,989

409.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$22.47 PKR 6,254

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,787

$73.1 PKR 20.3K

16.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,315

$28.15 PKR 7,834

150.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$76.0 PKR 21.1K

463.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,782

$51.7 PKR 14.4K

358.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$165 PKR 45.9K

386.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$105 PKR 29.3K

388.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.7K

$928 PKR 258.2K

112.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$532 PKR 148.1K

177.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $76.0 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 $11.00 in Haroonabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $90.0 – 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 95% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $667 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $10.58 in Haroonabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 174% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $444 in Haroonabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Haroonabad costs $444 versus $866 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.