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 $433 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $641 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $848 in Mardan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 97% 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 ฿64.0

$2.18 PKR 607

-10.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$14.39 PKR 4,012

30.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.35 PKR 1,491

48.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.06 PKR 574

-7.28%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.29 PKR 79.8

189.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.22 PKR 61.0

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.78 PKR 216

110.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.65 PKR 182

149.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.84 PKR 233

40.48%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.16 PKR 322

73.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.03 PKR 1,680

163.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.39 PKR 666

25.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$3.10 PKR 866

247.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.74 PKR 205

252.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.55 PKR 152

121.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.95 PKR 266

78.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.30 PKR 84.8

426.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.24 PKR 66.8

450.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.37 PKR 102

216.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.31 PKR 86.1

116.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.15 PKR 41.17

273.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.37 PKR 383

230.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.18 PKR 49.01

394.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.04 PKR 1,964

175.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.36 PKR 102

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.34 PKR 96.0

297.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$1.81 PKR 506

355.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.97 PKR 271

30.93%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

1.59%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-14.29%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$114 PKR 31.8K

-38.55%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$5.37 PKR 1,497

156.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.43 PKR 5,137

-4.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$12.43 PKR 3,464

234.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.91 PKR 1,647

11.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.18 PKR 1,165

38.28%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$17.36 PKR 4,839

1663.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

1214.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$21.42 PKR 5,970

153.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.91 PKR 7,781

-6.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

-5.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$17.55 PKR 4,893

295.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

459.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

361.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$164 PKR 45.8K

401.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$108 PKR 30.1K

376.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$270 PKR 75.2K

135.56%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $75.8 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 136% 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 Mardan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 97% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $650 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $17.36 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 $433 in Mardan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mardan costs $433 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.