Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rahim Yar Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rahim Yar Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $380 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $531 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $683 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 128% more than Rahim Yar Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Rahim Yar Khan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Rahim Yar Khan 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.76 PKR 489

10.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$8.74 PKR 2,430

113.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.36 PKR 934

132.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PKR 880

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.84 PKR 233

132.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.24 PKR 67.2

254.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.16 PKR 44.38

118.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.60 PKR 166

185.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.60 PKR 167

171.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.08 PKR 300

5.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.08 PKR 299

78.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.22 PKR 1,175

284.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.20 PKR 611

41.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$3.12 PKR 868

249.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$0.87 PKR 241

216.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.72 PKR 199

68.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.58 PKR 161

179.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.48 PKR 133

231.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.37 PKR 103

278.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.40 PKR 111

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.56 PKR 157

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.29 PKR 79.8

82.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 495

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 PKR 446

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 PKR 515

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.00 PKR 557

134.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.20 PKR 54.6

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$6.90 PKR 1,918

178.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.07 PKR 299

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.41 PKR 113

214.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.37 PKR 382

472.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.93 PKR 259

36.56%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

-6.37%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

1.82%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$104 PKR 29.1K

-33.89%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$3.25 PKR 903

333.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.99 PKR 3,892

28.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$14.07 PKR 3,913

191.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.98 PKR 1,663

16.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.61 PKR 726

126.82%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$17.53 PKR 4,878

1605.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$886 PKR 246.3K

1588.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$12.17 PKR 3,385

349.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$21.01 PKR 5,843

27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

61.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$28.71 PKR 7,986

145.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$81.1 PKR 22.6K

427.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$62.5 PKR 17.4K

280.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$110 PKR 30.7K

625.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$94.8 PKR 26.4K

443.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$975 PKR 271.2K

102.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$510 PKR 141.8K

189.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

-71.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rahim Yar Khan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $81.1 in Rahim Yar Khan. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $75.0 – making Rahim Yar Khan 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 Rahim Yar Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 128% more than Rahim Yar Khan, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $569 in Rahim Yar Khan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $17.53 in Rahim Yar Khan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 230% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $380 in Rahim Yar Khan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rahim Yar Khan costs $380 versus $866 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 Rahim Yar Khan. 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.