Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $292 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Mazar-i-Sharif
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Mazar-i-Sharif Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$292

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Mazar-i-Sharif

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Mazar-i-Sharif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $292 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Mazar-i-Sharif $292

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $461 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Mazar-i-Sharif $461

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $630 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Mazar-i-Sharif $630

Chiang Mai costs about 216% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Mazar-i-Sharif are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$2.38 ؋154

-3.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$15.47 ؋1,003

26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$4.01 ؋260

39.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 ؋489

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 ؋486

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.23 ؋79.8

34.96%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.57 ؋36.96

22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.30 ؋19.28

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.65 ؋42.20

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.15 ؋9.99

840.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$2.10 ؋136

-37.62%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.65 ؋107

32.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$7.49 ؋486

122.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$3.30 ؋214

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$6.09 ؋395

49.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$0.59 ؋38.30

305.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.13 ؋73.5

-8.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.82 ؋53.2

98.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.61 ؋39.27

145.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.47 ؋30.46

174.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.38 ؋24.88

192.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.56 ؋36.54

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.32 ؋20.97

65.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋121

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.57 ؋102

174.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.81 ؋52.2

6.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$1.52 ؋98.7

54.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.53 ؋99.4

-5.88%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$9,927 ؋643.5K

108.83%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$83.3 ؋5,399

-25.16%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$16.98 ؋1,101

-28.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$11.53 ؋747

221.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$3.87 ؋251

-2.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.68 ؋304

38.89%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$76.6 ؋4,967

934.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$12.93 ؋838

315.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$18.48 ؋1,198

284.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$235 ؋15.2K

151.25%

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Mazar-i-Sharif

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$105 35.8% 55.6% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$14 * 4.8% 86.9% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$100 * 34.3% 6.2% $5.9

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$49 16.9% 37.3% $29

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$3.2 * 1.1% 94.7% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$21 7.2% 58.3% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 151% 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: $235 vs $105 – making Mazar-i-Sharif the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

12:58 12:58 PM

2 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

300,600

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Mazar-i-Sharif 3,690 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Mazar-i-Sharif

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 216% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $439 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 125% 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 $292, than in Chiang Mai at $925. 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 $292 versus $925 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.