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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $424 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $638 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $851 in Mardan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 101% more than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mardan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.06 PKR 571

-0.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$14.31 PKR 3,970

30.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.36 PKR 1,487

46.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,110

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.00 PKR 556

1.50%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.31 PKR 87.1

158.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.24 PKR 66.7

45.83%

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

$0.77 PKR 214

124.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.62 PKR 171

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.84 PKR 233

42.86%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.19 PKR 331

65.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.33 PKR 1,756

156.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.31 PKR 641

32.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$3.26 PKR 904

231.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.69 PKR 191

301.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.55 PKR 152

112.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.96 PKR 268

78.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.33 PKR 92.6

381.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.24 PKR 66.6

479.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.37 PKR 102

213.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.33 PKR 91.8

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.13 PKR 35.05

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.43 PKR 398

225.17%

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

$0.18 PKR 49.54

405.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$6.89 PKR 1,911

170.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.36 PKR 101

291.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.34 PKR 94.9

294.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.81 PKR 502

348.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.89 PKR 248

38.20%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

0.82%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

-17.10%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$112 PKR 31.1K

-36.41%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$5.55 PKR 1,540

152.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$18.45 PKR 5,120

-2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$12.30 PKR 3,414

231.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$5.99 PKR 1,664

14.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.26 PKR 1,181

34.27%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$17.48 PKR 4,851

1663.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

1219.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$21.33 PKR 5,920

161.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.63 PKR 7,669

-5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

-4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$17.39 PKR 4,827

308.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

460.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

367.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$167 PKR 46.3K

377.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$105 PKR 29.1K

383.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$867 PKR 240.6K

121.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$511 PKR 141.9K

186.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-75.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mardan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $75.5 in Mardan. 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 Mardan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $79.0 – making Mardan 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 Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 101% more than Mardan, 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 $636 in Mardan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mardan, 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 $17.48 in Mardan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 210% 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 $424 in Mardan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mardan costs $424 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 Mardan. 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.