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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $425 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $639 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $852 in Mardan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 99% 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

$1.96 ฿63.6

$2.16 PKR 601

-9.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$14.27 PKR 3,966

28.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$5.24 PKR 1,458

50.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 PKR 1,085

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.02 PKR 560

-3.47%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.29 PKR 79.8

193.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.24 PKR 66.8

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.77 PKR 213

115.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.63 PKR 175

147.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$0.84 PKR 235

41.67%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.18 PKR 329

68.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$6.10 PKR 1,696

166.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$2.37 PKR 658

33.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$3.25 PKR 903

233.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$0.69 PKR 191

284.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$0.50 PKR 140

144.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$0.96 PKR 266

71.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.33 PKR 91.9

369.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.24 PKR 66.3

454.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.36 PKR 101

236.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.33 PKR 92.0

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.14 PKR 39.76

307.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 404

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 562

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$1.45 PKR 404

222.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.15 PKR 42.86

506.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$6.98 PKR 1,941

168.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.34 PKR 93.5

314.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.35 PKR 96.4

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$1.80 PKR 499

352.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.98 PKR 271

30.61%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

4.62%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$26.1K PKR 7.2M

-14.03%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$113 PKR 31.5K

-37.78%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$5.55 PKR 1,543

153.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$18.61 PKR 5,173

-5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$12.45 PKR 3,462

231.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$5.99 PKR 1,666

12.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$4.28 PKR 1,189

39.25%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$17.48 PKR 4,860

1633.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

1238.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$21.77 PKR 6,053

151.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$28.11 PKR 7,815

-6.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$88.0 PKR 24.5K

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$18.03 PKR 5,012

286.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$74.8 PKR 20.8K

472.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

366.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$169 PKR 47.1K

378.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$105 PKR 29.1K

386.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$752 PKR 209.0K

169.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$436 PKR 121.1K

244.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$275 PKR 76.4K

126.62%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $74.8 in Mardan. 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 127% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Mardan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $78.0 – 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 99% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $638 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 $303 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 209% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $425 in Mardan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mardan costs $425 versus $848 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.