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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $320 in Mirpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $475 in Mirpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $630 in Mirpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 169% more than Mirpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mirpur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mirpur 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.73 PKR 481

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$7.39 PKR 2,053

148.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.55 PKR 986

110.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 PKR 389

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 PKR 483

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.47 PKR 408

37.41%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.27 PKR 74.3

214.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.19 PKR 51.9

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.76 PKR 212

117.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.52 PKR 144

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.27 PKR 352

-6.30%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$0.88 PKR 245

120.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.59 PKR 996

350.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.58 PKR 718

15.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$3.28 PKR 911

233.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.99 PKR 274

173.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.56 PKR 155

108.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.66 PKR 184

156.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.51 PKR 142

213.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.29 PKR 81.5

375.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.29 PKR 80.6

313.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.29 PKR 81.1

131.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.37 PKR 102

51.35%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.03 PKR 287

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 549

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.88 PKR 522

146.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.16 PKR 43.68

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$7.26 PKR 2,015

166.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.05 PKR 291

29.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.50 PKR 138

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.81 PKR 504

353.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.99 PKR 276

23.23%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$8,902 PKR 2.5M

139.88%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$13.9K PKR 3.9M

62.26%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$57.7 PKR 16.0K

22.54%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$1.74 PKR 484

706.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$12.77 PKR 3,546

36.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$7.26 PKR 2,017

480.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.59 PKR 998

91.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.62 PKR 1,004

63.54%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$27.77 PKR 7,710

1011.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,121 PKR 311.3K

1226.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$16.23 PKR 4,508

243.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$17.42 PKR 4,837

49.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$35.44 PKR 9,842

134.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$26.09 PKR 7,245

170.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$70.4 PKR 19.6K

513.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

341.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$105 PKR 29.0K

686.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$101 PKR 27.9K

408.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$850 PKR 235.9K

125.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$424 PKR 117.7K

246.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$141 PKR 39.3K

309.85%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mirpur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $70.4 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 310% 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 $7.00 in Mirpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $75.0 – 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 169% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $479 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $27.77 in Mirpur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 223% 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 $861 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 $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 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.