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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $416 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $640 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $863 in Jaranwala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 108% more than Jaranwala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jaranwala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Jaranwala 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.74 PKR 484

11.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.11 PKR 3,925

32.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.16 PKR 1,435

51.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 PKR 430

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 PKR 948

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.73 PKR 480

12.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.34 PKR 94.9

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.21 PKR 58.3

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.78 PKR 218

119.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.55 PKR 154

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.24 PKR 345

-8.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.17 PKR 325

64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.08 PKR 1,692

166.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.39 PKR 943

-7.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.51 PKR 1,255

141.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.01 PKR 281

172.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.67 PKR 187

80.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.90 PKR 250

80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.51 PKR 142

211.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.36 PKR 101

288.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.48 PKR 134

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.26 PKR 72.8

153.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.40 PKR 111

32.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 PKR 371

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PKR 662

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.93 PKR 536

143.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.18 PKR 50.9

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$7.19 PKR 2,000

167.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.89 PKR 248

58.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.40 PKR 112

222.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.05 PKR 849

157.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.90 PKR 251

41.11%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

18.32%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

-2.74%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$103 PKR 28.6K

-32.71%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.01 PKR 1,116

251.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$16.50 PKR 4,591

9.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$12.58 PKR 3,498

226.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.87 PKR 1,634

18.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.63 PKR 1,010

63.09%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$40.35 PKR 11.2K

641.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$943 PKR 262.2K

1486.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$11.65 PKR 3,240

369.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$18.66 PKR 5,191

43.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$28.43 PKR 7,908

148.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$74.3 PKR 20.7K

476.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$51.2 PKR 14.3K

363.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$170 PKR 47.2K

371.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$107 PKR 29.7K

383.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$861 PKR 239.6K

129.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$462 PKR 128.4K

219.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jaranwala: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $74.3 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Jaranwala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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 108% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $624 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $40.35 in Jaranwala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 160% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $416 in Jaranwala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jaranwala costs $416 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 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.