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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $370 in Jhang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $585 in Jhang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $801 in Jhang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 135% more than Jhang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jhang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Jhang 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.82 PKR 506

8.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$14.03 PKR 3,902

34.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.44 PKR 956

125.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 PKR 775

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,056

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.29 PKR 636

-16.16%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.33 PKR 91.1

139.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 PKR 64.2

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.57 PKR 159

189.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.57 PKR 159

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.17 PKR 326

1.71%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.04 PKR 289

92.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.15 PKR 1,710

159.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.05 PKR 847

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$4.49 PKR 1,247

141.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.03 PKR 285

167.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.61 PKR 168

93.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.58 PKR 160

182.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.44 PKR 123

245.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.35 PKR 98.6

294.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.48 PKR 134

147.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.47 PKR 131

48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.36 PKR 101

55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.94 PKR 262

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 294

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$0.80 PKR 222

472.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.19 PKR 53.1

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$7.11 PKR 1,977

163.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.69 PKR 190

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.50 PKR 138

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.75 PKR 487

348.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.90 PKR 250

36.67%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

23.90%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

-0.64%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$70.1 PKR 19.5K

0.60%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.90 PKR 1,084

250.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$10.75 PKR 2,989

62.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$12.30 PKR 3,419

236.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.10 PKR 1,695

14.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.51 PKR 975

64.39%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$15.86 PKR 4,408

1836.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,214 PKR 337.4K

1103.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$15.18 PKR 4,222

267.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$20.95 PKR 5,826

25.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$29.91 PKR 8,315

141.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$75.4 PKR 21.0K

470.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

365.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$169 PKR 46.9K

384.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$108 PKR 30.0K

373.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$891 PKR 247.6K

122.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$492 PKR 136.8K

201.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$143 PKR 39.7K

333.26%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jhang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $75.4 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 333% 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: $241 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 135% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $554 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $15.86 in Jhang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 171% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $370 in Jhang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jhang costs $370 versus $869 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.