Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hyderabad, Pakistan

For one person, living is cheaper in Hyderabad: $448 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hyderabad, Pakistan
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Hyderabad
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$448
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Hyderabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $448 in Hyderabad, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Hyderabad $448

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $687 in Hyderabad, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Hyderabad $687

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $927 in Hyderabad, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Hyderabad $927

Chiang Mai costs about 109% more than Hyderabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Hyderabad 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$1.73 PKR 479
29.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$10.93 PKR 3,021
73.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$4.31 PKR 1,192
28.77%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.11 PKR 583
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.64 PKR 1,558
-
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$1.03 PKR 284
62.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.55
$0.37 PKR 103
72.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$0.22 PKR 60.7
40.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.76 PKR 211
156.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.48
$0.52 PKR 145
176.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.04
$1.23 PKR 341
8.13%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$1.27 PKR 352
79.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$4.38 PKR 1,210
275.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$3.20 PKR 884
-13.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$4.12 PKR 1,140
125.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$1.07 PKR 296
119.63%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.80
$0.40 PKR 112
142.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$0.63 PKR 174
153.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.47 PKR 130
219.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.12
$0.32 PKR 87.3
300.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$0.32 PKR 87.2
243.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$0.44 PKR 120
61.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.37
$0.40 PKR 112
22.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.88 PKR 244
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.17 PKR 324
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.71 PKR 195
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$1.79 PKR 495
131.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.31
$0.20 PKR 55.6
335.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,826
$9.68 PKR 2,675
458.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.06
$0.64 PKR 178
81.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$0.19 PKR 52.4
178.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$0.69 PKR 191
250.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.90
$1.26 PKR 348
15.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.7K
$17.8K PKR 4.9M
18.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.3K
$25.8K PKR 7.1M
4.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$115 PKR 31.7K
-45.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$5.43 PKR 1,502
124.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$13.33 PKR 3,684
50.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$22.90 PKR 6,329
62.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$3.69 PKR 1,021
2.17%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$3.71 PKR 1,026
74.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$60.4 PKR 16.7K
1119.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.3K
$1,351 PKR 373.5K
992.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$16.99 PKR 4,698
214.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$22.70 PKR 6,275
8.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$69.0 PKR 19.1K
32.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,428
$40.00 PKR 11.1K
79.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$136 PKR 37.5K
255.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$78.3 PKR 21.6K
294.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$304 PKR 84.0K
230.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$210 PKR 57.9K
202.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$785 PKR 217.1K
200.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hyderabad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$158 PKR 43.6K
273.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
13.21
-57.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Hyderabad
$78 74.7% $231
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Hyderabad
$85 63.6% $149
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Hyderabad
$67 38.4% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Hyderabad
$133 41.2% $39
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Hyderabad
$41 46.5% $36
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Hyderabad
$12 80.3% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Hyderabad
$30 39.7% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $136 in Hyderabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 3.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $85 – making Hyderabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇵🇰 Hyderabad
🕒 Local time
12:05 12:05 PM
10:05 10:05 AM
2 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
1,732,698
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 309 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Hyderabad 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Hyderabad

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 Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hyderabad?
Chiang Mai costs about 109% more than Hyderabad, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Hyderabad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $672 in Hyderabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Hyderabad?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hyderabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $136 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Hyderabad?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $60 in Hyderabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Hyderabad?
Groceries cost about 175% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Hyderabad?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Hyderabad, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Hyderabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Hyderabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Hyderabad?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Hyderabad?
If budget matters most, go with Hyderabad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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