Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mazar-i-Sharif Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mazar-i-Sharif

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $453 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 228% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mazar-i-Sharif are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$2.32 ؋149

-10.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$15.11 ؋974

29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$3.84 ؋247

47.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 ؋484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 ؋488

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.17 ؋75.6

54.70%

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

$0.71 ฿23.46

$0.54 ؋34.68

31.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.39

$0.29 ؋18.68

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.59 ؋38.21

232.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.42

$0.16 ؋10.16

837.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.96

$2.02 ؋130

-33.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.61 ؋104

40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.76 ؋500

109.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.2

$3.37 ؋217

-12.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$6.16 ؋397

61.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$0.56 ؋35.89

358.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$1.11 ؋71.5

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.81 ؋52.3

98.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$0.64 ؋40.97

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.80

$0.49 ؋31.89

159.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.09

$0.38 ؋24.54

181.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.70

$0.51 ؋32.77

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.31 ؋20.00

64.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 ؋117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.56 ؋101

168.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿588

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.45

$0.78 ؋50.3

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,772

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.8

$1.50 ؋96.8

61.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$1.46 ؋94.1

-3.42%

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

$21.4K ฿705.5K

$10.1K ؋650.8K

112.41%

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

$27.3K ฿899.3K

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

$63.7 ฿2,095

$79.4 ؋5,120

-19.83%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$16.71 ؋1,077

-23.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,275

$11.48 ؋740

237.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$3.71 ؋239

7.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$4.59 ؋296

46.84%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$76.0 ؋4,902

923.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,786

$13.04 ؋840

316.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,104

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,416

$18.26 ؋1,178

302.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,518

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$226 ؋14.5K

166.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 167% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $105 – making Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 228% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $433 in Mazar-i-Sharif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 130% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mazar-i-Sharif, where all-in costs run around $289, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Mazar-i-Sharif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mazar-i-Sharif costs $289 versus $947 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 Mazar-i-Sharif. 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.