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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $303 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $447 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $592 in Okara, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 182% more than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Okara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Okara 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.05 PKR 293

86.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$10.41 PKR 2,903

80.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.16 PKR 1,158

90.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 PKR 801

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 PKR 505

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.19 PKR 331

60.50%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.33 PKR 91.3

154.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.23 PKR 64.2

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.72 PKR 201

127.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.44 PKR 122

268.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.17 PKR 326

0.85%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.16 PKR 324

73.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$2.25 PKR 628

606.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.33 PKR 649

29.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$3.21 PKR 896

235.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.07 PKR 298

143.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.51 PKR 142

139.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.42 PKR 117

304.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.45 PKR 124

251.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.33 PKR 90.7

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.51 PKR 142

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.39 PKR 109

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.29 PKR 81.3

93.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.69 PKR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.6

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 252

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.52 PKR 423

198.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.10 PKR 27.66

790.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$2.86 PKR 798

577.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.70 PKR 194

92.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.49 PKR 137

175.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$1.80 PKR 501

358.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.96 PKR 269

32.29%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

20.30%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

-2.78%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$89.0 PKR 24.8K

-21.22%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$3.15 PKR 879

337.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$10.40 PKR 2,900

69.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$12.51 PKR 3,488

232.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.83 PKR 1,625

13.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.16 PKR 1,159

38.94%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$14.22 PKR 3,963

2053.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,255 PKR 349.9K

1081.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$15.02 PKR 4,187

261.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$21.53 PKR 6,003

21.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$31.30 PKR 8,725

170.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$30.71 PKR 8,560

126.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$27.84 PKR 7,761

1421.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$17.77 PKR 4,955

1240.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$42.28 PKR 11.8K

1850.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$31.91 PKR 8,895

1514.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$740 PKR 206.3K

176.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$505 PKR 140.7K

201.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$143 PKR 39.8K

345.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-74.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Okara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $27.84 in Okara. 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 345% 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 $10.00 in Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $68.0 – making Okara 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 Okara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 182% more than Okara, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $454 in Okara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $14.22 in Okara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 256% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $303 in Okara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Okara costs $303 versus $852 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 Okara. 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.