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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $373 in Jhang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $585 in Jhang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $797 in Jhang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 128% more than Jhang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jhang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jhang 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.81 PKR 503

12.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$14.17 PKR 3,934

32.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.46 PKR 959

127.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 780

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 PKR 1,007

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.29 PKR 636

-11.35%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.32 PKR 89.9

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.23 PKR 64.0

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.57 PKR 160

203.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.61 PKR 168

157.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.22 PKR 339

-1.64%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.08 PKR 300

82.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.95 PKR 1,650

172.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.97 PKR 824

3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.50 PKR 1,248

140.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.06 PKR 293

161.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.64 PKR 178

82.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.56 PKR 157

205.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.48 PKR 134

231.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.36 PKR 99.0

286.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.49 PKR 136

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.44 PKR 123

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.36 PKR 100

44.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.06 PKR 294

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 140

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$0.78 PKR 217

496.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.21 PKR 56.9

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$7.13 PKR 1,978

161.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.69 PKR 192

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.53 PKR 147

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.80 PKR 499

350.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.84 PKR 233

46.43%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

19.41%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$23.3K PKR 6.5M

-6.38%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$71.2 PKR 19.7K

0.25%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$3.87 PKR 1,073

262.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$10.76 PKR 2,986

66.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$12.32 PKR 3,419

231.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.08 PKR 1,688

13.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.60 PKR 999

58.89%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$16.18 PKR 4,490

1805.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,250 PKR 347.0K

1074.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$14.94 PKR 4,147

273.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$21.55 PKR 5,982

20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$71.3 PKR 19.8K

18.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$30.63 PKR 8,501

131.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

474.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

369.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$170 PKR 47.2K

368.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$106 PKR 29.5K

377.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$873 PKR 242.4K

119.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$485 PKR 134.5K

202.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$146 PKR 40.6K

306.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-72.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jhang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $73.7 in Jhang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 306% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Jhang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $89.0 – making Jhang 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 Jhang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 128% more than Jhang, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $560 in Jhang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $16.18 in Jhang. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $373 in Jhang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jhang costs $373 versus $852 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 Jhang. 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.