Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Peshawar

For one person, living is cheaper in Peshawar: $525 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 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 Peshawar
Learn more

Peshawar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Peshawar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $525 in Peshawar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Peshawar $525

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Peshawar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Peshawar $716

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $906 in Peshawar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Peshawar $906

Chiang Mai costs about 78% more than Peshawar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Peshawar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Peshawar 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$2.50 PKR 690

-10.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$9.15 PKR 2,528

107.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.35 PKR 1,478

3.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PKR 612

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 PKR 806

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.63 PKR 727

-36.50%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.34 PKR 95.0

88.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.18 PKR 49.24

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.01 PKR 278

93.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.73 PKR 203

97.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.06 PKR 293

25.47%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.11 PKR 308

105.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$3.44 PKR 952

378.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.18 PKR 880

-12.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$3.67 PKR 1,016

153.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.19 PKR 328

97.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.52 PKR 143

86.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.63 PKR 173

153.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.56 PKR 154

167.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.27 PKR 74.5

374.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.34 PKR 94.2

223.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.28 PKR 76.9

153.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.25 PKR 68.4

96.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 205

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 203

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.84 PKR 510

125.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.19 PKR 53.2

357.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$12.64 PKR 3,494

327.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.10 PKR 305

5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.70 PKR 194

-24.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.45 PKR 401

66.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.18 PKR 327

22.88%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$22.3K PKR 6.2M

-5.45%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

15.08%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$102 PKR 28.2K

-39.00%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$6.10 PKR 1,685

99.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$14.19 PKR 3,923

41.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$15.22 PKR 4,207

145.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$6.14 PKR 1,697

-38.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$1.95 PKR 540

232.82%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$47.01 PKR 13.0K

1465.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$5,087 PKR 1.4M

190.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$7.38 PKR 2,040

623.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$16.03 PKR 4,432

53.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$51.2 PKR 14.1K

78.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$40.31 PKR 11.1K

78.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$229 PKR 63.2K

110.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$161 PKR 44.6K

91.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$263 PKR 72.8K

282.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$197 PKR 54.4K

222.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$147 PKR 40.7K

301.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Peshawar

$161 30.7% 47.8% $148

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Peshawar

$83 15.9% 64.5% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Peshawar

$52 9.8% 52.4% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Peshawar

$122 23.3% 29.4% $28

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Peshawar

$70 13.3% 10.2% $7.9

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Peshawar

$18 3.4% 70.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Peshawar

$19 3.6% 62% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $229 in Peshawar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $9 in Peshawar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $83 – making Peshawar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇰 Peshawar

🕒 Local time

18:38 6:38 PM

16:38 4:38 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,970,042

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 308 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Peshawar 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Peshawar

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 Peshawar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 78% more than Peshawar, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $788 in Peshawar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Peshawar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $229 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $47 in Peshawar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 181% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Peshawar, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Peshawar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Peshawar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Peshawar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.