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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $490 per month in Daska vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Daska vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,059 per month in Daska vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Daska is about 48% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Daska and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Daska 64% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 PKR 992

$2.08 ฿68.5

72.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.48 PKR 6,233

$19.64 ฿646

14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 PKR 1,487

$5.65 ฿186

-5.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 PKR 958

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 PKR 1,928

Cappuccino

$2.43 PKR 673

$1.81 ฿59.3

34.25%

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

$0.35 PKR 97.9

$0.71 ฿23.44

-50.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.32 ฿10.38

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$1.96 ฿64.4

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 PKR 214

$1.50 ฿49.38

-48.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 351

$1.34 ฿43.92

-5.22%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 347

$2.26 ฿74.4

-44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 PKR 1,630

$16.26 ฿534

-63.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 836

$2.95 ฿97.1

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 PKR 1,382

$9.94 ฿327

-49.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$2.57 ฿84.5

-52.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.06 ฿34.72

-19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 297

$1.61 ฿53.0

-33.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$1.52 ฿49.96

-71.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.5

$1.27 ฿41.76

-78.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$1.07 ฿35.05

-69.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$0.72 ฿23.67

-62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.51 ฿16.72

-27.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.83 PKR 508

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 369

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 672

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 PKR 658

$4.19 ฿138

-43.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.53

$0.93 ฿30.42

-82.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.84 PKR 2,728

$53.9 ฿1,770

-81.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.23 ฿40.58

-6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.58 ฿18.96

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PKR 487

$2.42 ฿79.7

-27.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 PKR 351

$1.41 ฿46.42

-9.93%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

-0.44%

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

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-10.98%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$63.7 ฿2,093

62.04%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,579

$12.85 ฿423

-55.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.06 PKR 4,451

$20.22 ฿665

-20.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.63 PKR 4,611

$38.74 ฿1,274

-57.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 PKR 1,375

$6.74 ฿221

-26.41%

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

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$778 ฿25.6K

-90.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,020 PKR 282.8K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-93.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 PKR 6,698

$54.3 ฿1,785

-55.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 PKR 8,943

$25.45 ฿836

26.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$73.4 ฿2,414

-46.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$490 ฿16.1K

-75.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 PKR 20.5K

$289 ฿9,510

-74.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 PKR 70.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

-71.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 PKR 42.1K

$517 ฿17.0K

-70.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$922 PKR 255.6K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-52.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$504 PKR 139.6K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-65.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

5.57

134.83%

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

Last update for Daska: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Daska versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 $22.00 in Daska versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Daska vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Daska wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Daska vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 93% more than Daska, 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 $735 per month in Daska and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $74.7 per month in Daska and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 141% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daska, where all-in costs run around $490, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Daska it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Daska costs $490 versus $947 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 Daska. 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.