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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $410 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $632 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $854 in Jaranwala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 110% more than Jaranwala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jaranwala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jaranwala 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.73 PKR 480

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$13.90 PKR 3,860

32.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.28 PKR 1,465

41.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 PKR 447

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 981

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.71 PKR 476

18.13%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.34 PKR 95.2

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.21 PKR 58.3

71.43%

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

$0.86 PKR 238

91.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.57 PKR 157

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.31 PKR 363

-9.16%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.14 PKR 316

70.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.21 PKR 1,726

160.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.26 PKR 904

-8.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.43 PKR 1,230

146.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.96 PKR 268

182.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.68 PKR 190

72.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.91 PKR 253

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.51 PKR 141

213.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.33 PKR 92.4

318.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.52 PKR 144

130.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.26 PKR 72.7

157.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.40 PKR 110

40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.44 PKR 401

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 275

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PKR 640

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.97 PKR 547

135.53%

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

$0.19 PKR 53.0

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$6.87 PKR 1,908

181.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.86 PKR 239

58.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.40 PKR 111

235.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.02 PKR 839

171.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.96 PKR 266

27.08%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

19.61%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

-0.44%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$101 PKR 27.9K

-29.72%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.03 PKR 1,120

248.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$16.28 PKR 4,521

7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$12.59 PKR 3,496

234.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.90 PKR 1,637

16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.61 PKR 1,004

63.99%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$40.32 PKR 11.2K

665.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$964 PKR 267.8K

1442.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$11.51 PKR 3,197

384.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$18.69 PKR 5,189

39.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

-7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$29.10 PKR 8,081

142.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

469.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$52.0 PKR 14.4K

359.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$164 PKR 45.6K

400.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$104 PKR 28.9K

391.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$920 PKR 255.5K

108.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$553 PKR 153.6K

165.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

-75.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jaranwala: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $75.9 in Jaranwala. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Jaranwala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $95.0 – making Jaranwala 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 Jaranwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 110% more than Jaranwala, 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 $615 in Jaranwala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaranwala, 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 $40.32 in Jaranwala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 156% 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 $410 in Jaranwala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jaranwala costs $410 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 Jaranwala. 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.