Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaranwala and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaranwala: $501 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Jaranwala
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$501
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaranwala 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 Jaranwala and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $501 per month in Jaranwala vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Jaranwala $501
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $757 per month in Jaranwala vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Jaranwala $757
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,013 per month in Jaranwala vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Jaranwala $1,013
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Jaranwala is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jaranwala and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jaranwala 63% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.07 PKR 572
$2.26 ฿75.4
-8.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.40 PKR 4,538
$19.18 ฿641
-14.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.89 PKR 1,629
$5.59 ฿187
5.37%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.77 PKR 490
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 PKR 967
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.94 PKR 536
$1.72 ฿57.6
12.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 PKR 113
$0.64 ฿21.54
-35.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 PKR 63.7
$0.33 ฿11.18
-30.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.36 ฿78.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.90 ฿130
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.84 PKR 233
$2.05 ฿68.6
-59.02%
White Bread (500g)
$0.55 PKR 153
$1.40 ฿46.70
-60.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 PKR 354
$1.28 ฿42.89
-
Eggs
$1.11 PKR 307
$2.25 ฿75.3
-50.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.18 PKR 1,711
$16.94 ฿566
-63.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.42 PKR 948
$2.74 ฿91.6
24.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.05 PKR 1,397
$9.36 ฿313
-46.05%
Apples (1kg)
$1.16 PKR 320
$2.40 ฿80.3
-51.67%
Banana (1kg)
$0.81 PKR 224
$1.01 ฿33.92
-19.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 PKR 338
$1.61 ฿53.9
-24.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 PKR 145
$1.52 ฿50.7
-65.79%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 PKR 106
$1.28 ฿42.90
-70.31%
Onion (1kg)
$0.49 PKR 136
$1.11 ฿37.22
-55.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.33 PKR 91.4
$0.72 ฿24.09
-54.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 PKR 117
$0.52 ฿17.54
-19.23%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.87 PKR 519
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 PKR 335
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 PKR 644
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.01 PKR 557
$4.33 ฿145
-53.58%
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
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 PKR 55.1
$0.85 ฿28.31
-76.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.80 PKR 2,988
$53.9 ฿1,801
-79.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.88 PKR 244
$1.17 ฿39.18
-24.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 PKR 103
$0.57 ฿19.00
-35.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.65 PKR 458
$2.37 ฿79.2
-30.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 PKR 332
$1.45 ฿48.32
-17.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.6K PKR 5.1M
$20.5K ฿684.3K
-9.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K PKR 6.7M
$26.5K ฿886.1K
-8.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 PKR 31.0K
$62.3 ฿2,083
79.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.81 PKR 1,608
$12.27 ฿410
-52.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 PKR 5,236
$19.97 ฿668
-5.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.25 PKR 4,497
$37.91 ฿1,267
-57.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.92 PKR 2,193
$3.76 ฿126
110.64%
Cinema Ticket
$4.41 PKR 1,220
$6.71 ฿224
-34.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$49.43 PKR 13.7K
$797 ฿26.6K
-93.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,033 PKR 285.8K
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-93.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.25 PKR 4,774
$53.3 ฿1,780
-67.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.47 PKR 8,986
$25.05 ฿837
29.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 PKR 25.2K
$91.6 ฿3,062
-0.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.98 PKR 10.2K
$73.5 ฿2,455
-49.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$110 PKR 30.5K
$464 ฿15.5K
-76.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$83.4 PKR 23.1K
$305 ฿10.2K
-72.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$271 PKR 75.1K
$915 ฿30.6K
-70.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$162 PKR 45.0K
$552 ฿18.5K
-70.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$973 PKR 269.4K
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-49.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$420 PKR 116.2K
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-70.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jaranwala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.81
5.57
309.52%

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

Last update for Jaranwala: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jaranwala
$137
Chiang Mai
$95 30.9% $42
Groceries & Markets
Jaranwala
$101
Chiang Mai
$238 136% $137
Accommodation & Living
Jaranwala
$83
Chiang Mai
$305 265% $221
Clothing & Footwear
Jaranwala
$80
Chiang Mai
$110 36.9% $30
Eating Out
Jaranwala
$60
Chiang Mai
$79 31.7% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Jaranwala
$25
Chiang Mai
$51 105% $26
Getting Around
Jaranwala
$14
Chiang Mai
$61 328% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $110 in Jaranwala 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Jaranwala versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $238 – making Jaranwala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Jaranwala
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
21:35 9:35 PM
23:35 11:35 PM
2 h ahead of Jaranwala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
150,380
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jaranwala Chiang Mai 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Jaranwala
  • Chiang Mai

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
Jaranwala vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Jaranwala or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Jaranwala, 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 Jaranwala and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $751 per month in Jaranwala 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, Jaranwala or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaranwala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Jaranwala and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $49.43 per month in Jaranwala and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Jaranwala or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 136% 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 Jaranwala or in Chiang Mai?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jaranwala, where all-in costs run around $501, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Jaranwala 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, Jaranwala or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jaranwala costs $501 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 Jaranwala 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 Jaranwala or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Jaranwala. 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.

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