Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nowshera

For one person, living is cheaper in Nowshera: $509 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 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
25

Cost of Living Index in Nowshera
Learn more

Nowshera Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Nowshera

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $509 in Nowshera, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Nowshera $509

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $798 in Nowshera, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Nowshera $798

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,087 in Nowshera, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Nowshera $1,087

Chiang Mai costs about 82% more than Nowshera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Nowshera are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Nowshera 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$3.53 PKR 976

-35.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$23.17 PKR 6,413

-15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.47 PKR 1,515

2.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 PKR 1,904

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.60 PKR 720

-36.15%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.33 PKR 90.0

112.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.21 PKR 58.1

47.62%

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

$1.01 PKR 278

93.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.78 PKR 215

80.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.25 PKR 346

4.80%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.20 PKR 333

81.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$6.07 PKR 1,680

174.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$3.04 PKR 843

-9.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$5.42 PKR 1,499

68.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.28 PKR 354

86.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.87 PKR 241

18.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.07 PKR 297

52.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.56 PKR 154

167.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.29 PKR 80.5

344.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.36 PKR 99.1

208.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.30 PKR 83.0

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.40 PKR 110

32.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 PKR 503

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.36 PKR 654

82.63%

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

$0.16 PKR 44.97

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$9.83 PKR 2,721

442.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.25 PKR 345

-3.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.70 PKR 194

-18.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$1.58 PKR 437

48.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.32 PKR 365

9.09%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

-5.84%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

11.63%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$101 PKR 27.9K

-38.08%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$5.90 PKR 1,632

105.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$17.15 PKR 4,747

16.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$14.69 PKR 4,066

152.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$7.99 PKR 2,210

-52.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.46 PKR 1,234

45.74%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

963.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$1,043 PKR 288.6K

1320.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$26.20 PKR 7,252

105.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$35.27 PKR 9,761

-30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$96.2 PKR 26.6K

-5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$40.04 PKR 11.1K

77.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$125 PKR 34.5K

265.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$75.9 PKR 21.0K

292.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$257 PKR 71.1K

253.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$150 PKR 41.6K

268.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$948 PKR 262.4K

103.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$486 PKR 134.6K

196.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.08

-57.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Nowshera

$76 14.9% 74.5% $222

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Nowshera

$104 20.4% 56% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Nowshera

$89 17.5% 17.7% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Nowshera

$124 24.3% 31.1% $29

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Nowshera

$78 15.3% 0.8% $0.6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Nowshera

$15 3% 74.9% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Nowshera

$24 4.6% 52.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Nowshera. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Nowshera. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $104 in Nowshera – so Nowshera wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇰 Nowshera

🕒 Local time

04:59 4:59 AM

02:59 2:59 AM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

120,131

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Nowshera 3,160 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Nowshera

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 Nowshera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 82% more than Nowshera, 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 $764 in Nowshera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $74.5 in Nowshera. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 127% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nowshera, where all-in costs run around $509, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Nowshera 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. Nowshera costs $509 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 Nowshera. 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.