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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $324 in Jhelum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $510 in Jhelum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $696 in Jhelum, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 165% more than Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jhelum are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$1.73 PKR 481

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$10.43 PKR 2,895

75.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.61 PKR 1,001

107.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 800

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 PKR 1,303

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.50 PKR 417

34.67%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.31 PKR 86.0

174.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.24 PKR 67.0

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.61 PKR 170

170.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.59 PKR 164

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.29 PKR 359

-7.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.19 PKR 331

63.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.15 PKR 1,431

214.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.44 PKR 679

22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$3.05 PKR 848

258.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.98 PKR 272

176.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.58 PKR 162

101.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.62 PKR 172

172.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.51 PKR 141

213.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.38 PKR 104

263.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.54 PKR 150

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.20 PKR 54.4

235.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.24 PKR 66.8

133.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.95 PKR 263

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 189

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 570

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$0.85 PKR 235

445.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.17 PKR 46.33

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$7.16 PKR 1,988

170.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.09 PKR 302

24.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.49 PKR 135

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.74 PKR 482

371.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.97 PKR 270

25.77%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

-1.50%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

5.31%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

35.41%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$2.79 PKR 775

403.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$12.93 PKR 3,591

35.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$12.36 PKR 3,433

241.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.90 PKR 1,637

16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.45 PKR 958

71.59%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$17.80 PKR 4,942

1633.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,152 PKR 319.8K

1191.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$16.09 PKR 4,469

246.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$22.13 PKR 6,145

17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

38.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$25.89 PKR 7,189

172.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

472.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$51.4 PKR 14.3K

364.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$165 PKR 45.8K

398.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$104 PKR 28.9K

391.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$899 PKR 249.7K

112.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$543 PKR 150.7K

170.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $75.5 in Jhelum. 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 $10.00 in Jhelum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $78.0 – making Jhelum 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 Jhelum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 165% more than Jhelum, 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 $487 in Jhelum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jhelum, 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 $17.80 in Jhelum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 212% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $324 in Jhelum, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jhelum costs $324 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 Jhelum. 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.