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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $377 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $576 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $775 in Skardu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 125% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Skardu 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$1.79 PKR 497

13.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$10.50 PKR 2,916

78.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$4.14 PKR 1,149

89.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$0.42 PKR 117

359.52%

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

$0.83 ฿28.01

$0.34 PKR 94.9

144.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.81

$0.23 PKR 63.9

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.77 PKR 215

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$0.56 PKR 155

176.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.82

$1.21 PKR 336

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.17 PKR 324

71.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$6.00 PKR 1,665

169.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$2.60 PKR 721

16.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$3.71 PKR 1,031

192.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.05 PKR 290

155.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.16

$0.66 PKR 183

84.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$0.67 PKR 186

143.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.49 PKR 135

212.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.13

$0.35 PKR 95.9

282.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.88

$0.50 PKR 140

142.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.65

$0.31 PKR 85.6

125.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.71

$0.36 PKR 100

47.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$1.98 PKR 550

136.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.03

$0.20 PKR 56.5

345.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$7.10 PKR 1,972

164.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.43

$0.84 PKR 233

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.54

$0.40 PKR 111

222.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$1.78 PKR 495

337.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.61

$0.96 PKR 265

34.38%

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

$21.8K ฿733.8K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

1.41%

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

$21.7K ฿731.2K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

-4.36%

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

$70.0 ฿2,359

$102 PKR 28.3K

-31.39%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$7.09 PKR 1,969

100.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$11.40 PKR 3,165

52.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,404

$12.46 PKR 3,458

234.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$6.02 PKR 1,670

14.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$3.62 PKR 1,006

59.67%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$29.27 PKR 8,128

924.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.5K

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

1214.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,866

$15.31 PKR 4,250

261.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿887

$21.94 PKR 6,091

19.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,860

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,376

$28.93 PKR 8,033

143.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

475.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,924

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

345.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$168 PKR 46.7K

377.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$108 PKR 29.9K

379.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$974 PKR 270.5K

97.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$484 PKR 134.2K

200.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-73.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $73.9 in Skardu. 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 $11.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $87.0 – making Skardu 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 Skardu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 125% more than Skardu, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $566 in Skardu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $29.27 in Skardu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 179% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $377 in Skardu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skardu costs $377 versus $847 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 Skardu. 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.