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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $368 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $532 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $696 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 134% 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 36% lower, Rahim Yar Khan 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$1.75 PKR 487

12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$8.91 PKR 2,474

105.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.20 PKR 890

133.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 PKR 906

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.89 PKR 248

126.97%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.24 PKR 66.8

254.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.16 PKR 45.10

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.59 PKR 164

179.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.59 PKR 165

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.07 PKR 298

11.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.07 PKR 297

81.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$4.26 PKR 1,183

280.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.16 PKR 600

38.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$3.15 PKR 875

247.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.86 PKR 238

215.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.72 PKR 201

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.58 PKR 160

191.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.48 PKR 133

233.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.40 PKR 112

245.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.39 PKR 109

207.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.61 PKR 169

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.29 PKR 79.4

93.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 PKR 521

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.01 PKR 557

130.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.15 PKR 42.71

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$6.90 PKR 1,915

180.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.08 PKR 301

25.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.44 PKR 122

204.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.43 PKR 398

474.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.00 PKR 277

22.00%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-4.82%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

2.46%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$105 PKR 29.0K

-32.42%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$3.13 PKR 870

348.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$13.57 PKR 3,767

28.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$14.31 PKR 3,972

194.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.96 PKR 1,656

15.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.70 PKR 749

119.26%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$17.70 PKR 4,914

1643.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$880 PKR 244.3K

1591.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$12.56 PKR 3,489

343.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$21.30 PKR 5,915

22.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

56.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$28.66 PKR 7,959

145.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$79.8 PKR 22.2K

441.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$61.0 PKR 16.9K

291.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$113 PKR 31.4K

626.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$95.5 PKR 26.5K

436.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$529 PKR 146.9K

262.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$442 PKR 122.8K

231.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$90.9 PKR 25.3K

537.09%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rahim Yar Khan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $79.8 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.

Salaries run about 537% 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 $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 134% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $552 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $17.70 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 226% 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 $368 in Rahim Yar Khan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rahim Yar Khan costs $368 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 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.