For one person, living is cheaper in Gujranwala: $400 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Gujranwala and in Chiang Mai
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gujranwala and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $400 per month in Gujranwala vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Gujranwala $400
Chiang Mai $938
A couple spends around $623 per month in Gujranwala vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Gujranwala $623
Chiang Mai $1,426
A family of three spends $846 per month in Gujranwala vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Gujranwala $846
Chiang Mai $1,914
🙂
Gujranwala is about 57% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Gujranwala and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gujranwala70% lower, Chiang Mai30% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62PKR 1,003
$2.26฿75.4
60.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.71PKR 3,519
$19.18฿641
-33.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.33PKR 1,476
$5.59฿187
-4.65%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.87PKR 241
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.68PKR 1,850
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.15PKR 317
$1.72฿57.6
-33.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23PKR 63.8
$0.64฿21.54
-64.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15PKR 42.10
$0.33฿11.18
-54.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.36฿78.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.90฿130
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.77PKR 214
$2.05฿68.6
-62.44%
White Bread(500g)
$0.67PKR 185
$1.40฿46.70
-52.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.12PKR 311
$1.28฿42.89
-12.50%
Eggs
$1.28PKR 353
$2.25฿75.3
-43.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.31PKR 1,747
$16.94฿566
-62.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.34PKR 647
$2.74฿91.6
-14.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.43PKR 1,502
$9.36฿313
-41.99%
Apples(1kg)
$1.32PKR 365
$2.40฿80.3
-45.00%
Banana(1kg)
$0.87PKR 242
$1.01฿33.92
-13.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.03PKR 286
$1.61฿53.9
-36.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.53PKR 146
$1.52฿50.7
-65.13%
Potato(1kg)
$0.29PKR 80.6
$1.28฿42.90
-77.34%
Onion(1kg)
$0.36PKR 98.8
$1.11฿37.22
-67.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.24PKR 66.5
$0.72฿24.09
-66.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38PKR 104
$0.52฿17.54
-26.92%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.94PKR 538
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21PKR 334
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73PKR 754
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.15PKR 595
$4.33฿145
-50.35%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$17.73฿593
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.63฿54.4
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.85฿95.3
-
🚌 Getting Around
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.16PKR 44.65
$0.85฿28.31
-81.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$53.9฿1,801
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.95PKR 263
$1.17฿39.18
-18.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.74PKR 206
$0.57฿19.00
29.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.48PKR 408
$2.37฿79.2
-37.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.18PKR 328
$1.45฿48.32
-18.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KPKR 5.0M
$20.5K฿684.3K
-12.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4KPKR 5.9M
$26.5K฿886.1K
-19.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103PKR 28.5K
$62.3฿2,083
65.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.53PKR 1,532
$12.27฿410
-54.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.42PKR 4,544
$19.97฿668
-17.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$7.06PKR 1,954
$37.91฿1,267
-81.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.93PKR 1,642
$3.76฿126
57.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.21PKR 1,165
$6.71฿224
-37.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$28.10PKR 7,777
$797฿26.6K
-96.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$941PKR 260.6K
$14.8K฿495.7K
-93.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.29PKR 3,956
$53.3฿1,780
-73.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.44PKR 7,041
$25.05฿837
1.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$73.3PKR 20.3K
$91.6฿3,062
-19.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.24PKR 9,199
$73.5฿2,455
-54.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$53.8PKR 14.9K
$464฿15.5K
-88.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$31.33PKR 8,671
$305฿10.2K
-89.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$159PKR 44.1K
$915฿30.6K
-82.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$101PKR 27.8K
$552฿18.5K
-81.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,912฿63.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,438฿48.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gujranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$236PKR 65.2K
$595฿19.9K
-60.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.5
5.57
106.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Gujranwala: October 12, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gujranwala
$125 31.2%
Chiang Mai
$95 10.1% ↓ 24.3%$30
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gujranwala
$97 24.2%
Chiang Mai
$238 25.4% ↑ 146%$141
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gujranwala
$66 16.5%
Chiang Mai
$110 11.7% ↑ 66.3%$44
🍽Eating Out
Gujranwala
$60 15.1%
Chiang Mai
$79 8.4% ↑ 31.1%$19
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gujranwala
$31 7.8%
Chiang Mai
$305 32.5% ↑ 872%$273
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gujranwala
$15 3.9%
Chiang Mai
$51 5.5% ↑ 232%$36
🚌Getting Around
Gujranwala
$5.3 * 1.3%
Chiang Mai
$61 6.5% ↑ 1055%$56
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gujranwala
$130 15.4%
Chiang Mai
$107 5.6% ↓ 18.1%$24
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gujranwala
$235 27.8%
Chiang Mai
$534 27.9% ↑ 127%$299
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gujranwala
$146 17.3%
Chiang Mai
$243 12.7% ↑ 66.3%$97
🍽Eating Out
Gujranwala
$185 21.9%
Chiang Mai
$246 12.9% ↑ 32.9%$61
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gujranwala
$101 11.9%
Chiang Mai
$552 28.9% ↑ 449%$452
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gujranwala
$37 4.4%
Chiang Mai
$106 5.6% ↑ 189%$70
🚌Getting Around
Gujranwala
$11 * 1.3%
Chiang Mai
$124 6.5% ↑ 1035%$113
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $53.8 in Gujranwala versus $464 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.
💰Salaries run about 153% 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 $13.00 in Gujranwala versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $238 – making Gujranwala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Gujranwala vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gujranwala or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 135% more than Gujranwala, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gujranwala and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $600 per month in Gujranwala and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Gujranwala or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gujranwala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Gujranwala and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Gujranwala and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Gujranwala or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 146% 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.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gujranwala or in Chiang Mai?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gujranwala, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Gujranwala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gujranwala or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gujranwala costs $400 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Gujranwala compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Gujranwala or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Gujranwala. 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.
Gujranwala vs other spots: cost of living compared