Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mirpur

For one person, living is cheaper in Mirpur: $372 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Mirpur
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$372
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Mirpur

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 Mirpur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $372 in Mirpur, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • Mirpur $372

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $558 in Mirpur, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • Mirpur $558

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $743 in Mirpur, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • Mirpur $743

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Mirpur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Mirpur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Mirpur 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.4
$1.83 PKR 505
23.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿641
$7.17 PKR 1,985
167.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$5.40 PKR 1,494
3.52%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.05 PKR 290
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.78 PKR 493
-
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.6
$1.06 PKR 295
62.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$0.47 PKR 129
36.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.18
$0.18 PKR 49.33
83.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.7
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿130
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.6
$0.78 PKR 217
162.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.70
$0.62 PKR 173
125.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.89
$1.21 PKR 334
5.79%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.3
$1.19 PKR 328
89.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿566
$3.70 PKR 1,025
357.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.6
$2.61 PKR 721
4.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$3.96 PKR 1,096
136.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.3
$1.10 PKR 306
118.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.92
$0.62 PKR 172
62.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿53.9
$0.56 PKR 155
187.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$0.52 PKR 144
192.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.90
$0.28 PKR 76.7
357.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.22
$0.30 PKR 84.1
270.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.09
$0.28 PKR 76.4
157.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.54
$0.35 PKR 96.8
48.57%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.82 PKR 504
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.07 PKR 297
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.42 PKR 671
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$1.41 PKR 391
207.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿593
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.3
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.31
$0.17 PKR 47.68
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,801
$9.78 PKR 2,708
451.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.18
$1.09 PKR 302
7.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.00
$0.23 PKR 63.9
147.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.2
$2.84 PKR 786
-16.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$0.98 PKR 271
47.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿684.3K
$8,856 PKR 2.5M
131.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.1K
$14.3K PKR 4.0M
84.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$67.0 PKR 18.5K
-6.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿410
$5.50 PKR 1,521
123.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿668
$14.25 PKR 3,945
40.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,267
$14.64 PKR 4,052
158.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
$8.01 PKR 2,216
-53.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿224
$3.56 PKR 984
88.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.6K
$26.90 PKR 7,446
2863.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿495.7K
$2,040 PKR 564.6K
627.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$18.29 PKR 5,062
191.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿837
$18.11 PKR 5,013
38.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,062
$36.45 PKR 10.1K
151.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,455
$29.04 PKR 8,036
152.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$127 PKR 35.2K
264.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$78.6 PKR 21.8K
287.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.6K
$251 PKR 69.5K
264.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$151 PKR 41.9K
264.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿63.9K
$898 PKR 248.6K
112.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.1K
$462 PKR 127.8K
211.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Mirpur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$146 PKR 40.3K
308.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.83
-52.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mirpur: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
Mirpur
$79 74.2% $226
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
Mirpur
$81 66.2% $157
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
Mirpur
$46 58.1% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
Mirpur
$87 8.3% $7.8
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Mirpur
$46 41.6% $33
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Mirpur
$13 79.3% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Mirpur
$22 57.6% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $127 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 308% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $7.00 in Mirpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $81.0 – making Mirpur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇵🇰 Mirpur
🕒 Local time
15:42 3:42 PM
13:42 1:42 PM
2 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
124,350
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Mirpur 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Mirpur

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 Mirpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Mirpur?
Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Mirpur, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Mirpur?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $559 in Mirpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Mirpur?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Mirpur?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $26.90 in Mirpur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Mirpur?
Groceries cost about 196% 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.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Mirpur?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mirpur, where all-in costs run around $372, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Mirpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Mirpur?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mirpur costs $372 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Mirpur?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Mirpur?
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.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?