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 $399 per month in Karak vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $580 per month in Karak vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $760 per month in Karak vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Karak is about 54% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Karak 70% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.96 ฿65.8

-64.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.88 PKR 1,909

$18.35 ฿617

-62.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,514

$7.48 ฿252

-27.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 PKR 193

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$0.51 PKR 142

$2.02 ฿67.8

-74.75%

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

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.85 ฿28.50

-56.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.36 ฿11.96

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PKR 280

$1.65 ฿55.5

-38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$1.57 ฿52.7

-65.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.19 ฿40.02

-9.24%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.94 ฿65.1

-44.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.72 PKR 478

$16.19 ฿544

-89.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 PKR 767

$2.99 ฿101

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$10.94 ฿368

-60.88%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 200

$2.71 ฿91.2

-73.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$1.17 ฿39.25

-56.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$1.69 ฿56.7

-56.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$1.60 ฿54.0

-63.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$1.38 ฿46.54

-71.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$1.20 ฿40.45

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.19 PKR 52.6

$0.67 ฿22.50

-71.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.2

$0.56 ฿18.73

-57.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 393

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 602

$4.64 ฿156

-53.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.0

$0.88 ฿29.68

-77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.02 PKR 1,948

$19.34 ฿650

-63.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.36 ฿45.90

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.34 ฿44.98

-69.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 PKR 803

$8.21 ฿276

-64.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$1.22 ฿41.18

-21.31%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

1.23%

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

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

18.25%

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

$111 PKR 30.8K

$70.7 ฿2,376

56.91%

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

$5.58 PKR 1,549

$14.04 ฿472

-60.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.84 PKR 5,232

$17.49 ฿588

7.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.33 PKR 3,425

$42.15 ฿1,417

-70.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,640

$6.88 ฿231

-14.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,169

$5.92 ฿199

-28.89%

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

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

$309 ฿10.4K

-80.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-92.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.53 PKR 5,979

$55.8 ฿1,875

-61.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 PKR 7,796

$26.11 ฿878

7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

$83.0 ฿2,792

6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

$70.5 ฿2,369

-43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$432 ฿14.5K

-82.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

$239 ฿8,035

-78.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 46.2K

$822 ฿27.7K

-79.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

-79.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-47.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$434 PKR 120.5K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-70.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

304.00%

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

Last update for Karak: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.1 in Karak versus $432 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $74.0 vs $243 – 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 116% 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 $599 per month in Karak and $1,292 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 $60.6 per month in Karak and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 227% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $399 in Karak and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karak costs $399 versus $861 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.