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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $428 per month in Karak vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $625 per month in Karak vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $822 per month in Karak vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Karak is about 55% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Karak 69% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.75 PKR 207

$2.08 ฿68.5

-63.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.31 PKR 2,027

$19.64 ฿646

-62.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$5.65 ฿186

-2.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 PKR 207

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 PKR 1,879

Cappuccino

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.81 ฿59.3

-69.06%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.9

$0.71 ฿23.44

-49.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.7

$0.32 ฿10.38

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.96 ฿64.4

-52.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$1.50 ฿49.38

-62.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$1.34 ฿43.92

-18.66%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$2.26 ฿74.4

-50.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.77 PKR 490

$16.26 ฿534

-89.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 PKR 795

$2.95 ฿97.1

-2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,205

$9.94 ฿327

-56.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$2.57 ฿84.5

-73.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.06 ฿34.72

-50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$1.61 ฿53.0

-54.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.52 ฿49.96

-68.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$1.27 ฿41.76

-77.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$1.07 ฿35.05

-70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.16 PKR 43.33

$0.72 ฿23.67

-77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.51 ฿16.72

-49.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 512

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 368

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 PKR 638

$4.19 ฿138

-45.11%

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 45.06

$0.93 ฿30.42

-82.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.59 PKR 2,383

$53.9 ฿1,770

-84.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.23 ฿40.58

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.58 ฿18.96

25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 PKR 437

$2.42 ฿79.7

-34.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.41 ฿46.42

-11.35%

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

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

1.96%

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

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-6.55%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$63.7 ฿2,093

61.72%

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

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$12.85 ฿423

-54.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 PKR 4,489

$20.22 ฿665

-19.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.60 PKR 4,601

$38.74 ฿1,274

-57.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 PKR 1,326

$6.74 ฿221

-29.08%

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

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

$778 ฿25.6K

-90.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$996 PKR 276.1K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-93.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.90 PKR 6,626

$54.3 ฿1,785

-55.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 PKR 8,819

$25.45 ฿836

24.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 PKR 22.7K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.51 PKR 11.0K

$73.4 ฿2,414

-46.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 35.9K

$490 ฿16.1K

-73.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

$289 ฿9,510

-70.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 PKR 79.0K

$894 ฿29.4K

-68.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 PKR 43.0K

$517 ฿17.0K

-69.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$804 PKR 222.9K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-58.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$585 PKR 162.2K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-60.38%

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 Karak: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Karak 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 $7.00 in Karak versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $74.0 vs $240 – making Karak 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 121% more than Karak, 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 $642 per month in Karak 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 Karak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $75.3 per month in Karak 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 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karak, where all-in costs run around $428, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Karak 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. Karak costs $428 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 Karak. 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.