Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mirpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mirpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $320 in Mirpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $474 in Mirpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $628 in Mirpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 173% more than Mirpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mirpur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mirpur 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$1.75 PKR 488

14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$7.31 PKR 2,039

149.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$3.44 PKR 959

122.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 PKR 388

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 PKR 506

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.53 PKR 428

25.49%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.29 PKR 81.0

189.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.20 PKR 55.2

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.75 PKR 209

118.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.51 PKR 141

217.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.31 PKR 365

-12.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$0.89 PKR 248

117.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$3.62 PKR 1,009

340.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$2.69 PKR 751

15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$3.28 PKR 916

237.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$0.99 PKR 276

173.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$0.56 PKR 155

110.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$0.67 PKR 187

155.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.50 PKR 141

222.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.29 PKR 81.0

379.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.29 PKR 81.0

296.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.27 PKR 75.0

162.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.33 PKR 93.2

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.39 PKR 389

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 237

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 549

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$1.85 PKR 515

147.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.21 PKR 57.4

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$6.92 PKR 1,932

172.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$1.07 PKR 300

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.49 PKR 136

165.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$1.80 PKR 503

355.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$0.92 PKR 257

33.70%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$8,764 PKR 2.4M

141.63%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$14.0K PKR 3.9M

58.94%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$58.5 PKR 16.3K

19.54%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$1.72 PKR 480

718.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$12.96 PKR 3,616

36.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$7.17 PKR 1,999

477.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$3.44 PKR 960

94.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$3.60 PKR 1,004

59.44%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$27.82 PKR 7,761

975.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$1,146 PKR 319.6K

1210.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$16.41 PKR 4,577

234.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$17.45 PKR 4,868

51.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$34.85 PKR 9,721

142.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$25.99 PKR 7,249

168.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$70.5 PKR 19.7K

505.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$53.4 PKR 14.9K

350.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$108 PKR 30.0K

654.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$98.5 PKR 27.5K

405.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$764 PKR 213.3K

164.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$555 PKR 155.0K

174.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$143 PKR 39.9K

347.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-72.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Mirpur: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $70 in Mirpur. 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 347% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $7 in Mirpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $76 – making Mirpur 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 Mirpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 173% more than Mirpur, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $480 in Mirpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $27.82 in Mirpur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 226% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $320 in Mirpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mirpur costs $320 versus $872 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 Mirpur. 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.