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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $372 in Peshawar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $554 in Peshawar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $736 in Peshawar, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 132% more than Peshawar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Peshawar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Peshawar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.34 PKR 651

-16.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$10.75 PKR 2,985

70.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.60 PKR 1,000

107.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 PKR 398

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 725

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.82 PKR 506

10.99%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.28 PKR 76.8

203.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.18 PKR 49.00

100.00%

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

$0.81 PKR 225

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.57 PKR 158

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.12 PKR 312

6.25%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.19 PKR 330

63.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.38 PKR 939

378.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.14 PKR 872

-4.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$3.78 PKR 1,051

189.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.04 PKR 288

160.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.61 PKR 169

91.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.92 PKR 255

83.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.43 PKR 119

272.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.40 PKR 110

245.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.45 PKR 125

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.24 PKR 66.7

179.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.32 PKR 88.8

75.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.68 PKR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 PKR 452

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 999

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

$0.20 PKR 55.1

340.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$6.91 PKR 1,918

179.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.69 PKR 190

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.73 PKR 204

83.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.81 PKR 504

353.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.00 PKR 278

22.00%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

78.76%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

-0.14%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$98.5 PKR 27.3K

-28.22%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.32 PKR 1,201

225.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$10.62 PKR 2,949

64.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$9.96 PKR 2,766

323.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$6.66 PKR 1,850

3.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.19 PKR 1,164

41.29%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$29.39 PKR 8,162

949.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$518 PKR 143.7K

2774.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$13.06 PKR 3,628

326.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.62 PKR 5,447

33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$38.69 PKR 10.7K

114.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$32.49 PKR 9,022

116.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$120 PKR 33.2K

261.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

363.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$202 PKR 56.1K

307.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$95.0 PKR 26.4K

438.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$128 PKR 35.5K

353.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.17

-76.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $120 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 run about 354% 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 $11.00 in Peshawar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $82.0 – making Peshawar 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 Peshawar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 132% more than Peshawar, 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 $557 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. 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 $29.39 in Peshawar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 198% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $372 in Peshawar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Peshawar costs $372 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 Peshawar. 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.