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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $844 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,020 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Mazar-i-Sharif are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.22 ؋146

-11.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$14.21 ؋934

29.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.32 ؋218

125.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ؋236

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ؋470

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.11 ؋73.2

81.98%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.52 ؋34.48

63.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.27 ؋17.88

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.55 ؋36.05

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.20 ؋13.08

685.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.62 ؋107

-26.54%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.60 ؋105

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.05 ؋332

220.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.68 ؋242

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.45 ؋359

100.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.54 ؋35.44

401.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.93 ؋61.0

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.74 ؋48.39

128.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.57 ؋37.45

180.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.46 ؋30.48

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.39 ؋25.34

207.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.39 ؋25.35

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.28 ؋18.31

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 ؋117

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ؋26.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ؋77.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.17 ؋76.7

296.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.52 ؋34.47

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$21.27 ؋1,398

-9.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.70 ؋46.12

94.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.37 ؋90.2

-2.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.41 ؋92.5

482.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.15 ؋75.3

6.09%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$10.0K ؋660.6K

112.48%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$40.0K ؋2.6M

-43.68%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$109 ؋7,151

-35.04%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$15.86 ؋1,042

-11.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$282 ؋18.5K

-93.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$10.88 ؋715

287.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.53 ؋232

94.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.38 ؋288

35.16%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$28.45 ؋1,870

984.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$12.03 ؋791

363.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$17.09 ؋1,123

312.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$85.2 ؋5,600

407.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$43.01 ؋2,827

455.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$145 ؋9,558

465.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$70.8 ؋4,652

623.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$229 ؋15.0K

153.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $85.2 in Mazar-i-Sharif. 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 153% 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 Mazar-i-Sharif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $91.0 – 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 29% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,002 in Mazar-i-Sharif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $28.45 in Mazar-i-Sharif. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 166% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mazar-i-Sharif costs $668 versus $861 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.