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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Mehar vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $654 per month in Mehar vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $870 per month in Mehar vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Mehar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mehar 68% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 PKR 561

$2.08 ฿68.5

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.95 PKR 3,034

$19.64 ฿646

-44.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 PKR 1,666

$5.65 ฿186

6.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 PKR 726

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 PKR 1,392

Cappuccino

$1.56 PKR 433

$1.81 ฿59.3

-13.81%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.7

$0.71 ฿23.44

-53.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.32 ฿10.38

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 PKR 228

$1.96 ฿64.4

-58.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 PKR 176

$1.50 ฿49.38

-57.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.34 ฿43.92

-11.94%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 345

$2.26 ฿74.4

-44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 PKR 1,662

$16.26 ฿534

-63.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 PKR 735

$2.95 ฿97.1

-10.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.86 PKR 1,346

$9.94 ฿327

-51.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 PKR 331

$2.57 ฿84.5

-53.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.06 ฿34.72

-47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$1.61 ฿53.0

-54.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$1.52 ฿49.96

-67.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.0

$1.27 ฿41.76

-75.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 96.6

$1.07 ฿35.05

-67.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.72 ฿23.67

-52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.51 ฿16.72

-35.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 550

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 317

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PKR 642

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 PKR 678

$4.19 ฿138

-41.53%

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)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.93 ฿30.42

-78.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,770

$53.9 ฿1,770

-81.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.23 ฿40.58

-8.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.58 ฿18.96

5.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 480

$2.42 ฿79.7

-28.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.41 ฿46.42

-17.73%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

7.35%

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

$28.7K PKR 8.0M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

4.92%

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

$95.3 PKR 26.4K

$63.7 ฿2,093

49.66%

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

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$12.85 ฿423

-57.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.66 PKR 4,063

$20.22 ฿665

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.55 PKR 4,034

$38.74 ฿1,274

-62.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 PKR 1,213

$6.74 ฿221

-35.01%

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

$44.27 PKR 12.3K

$778 ฿25.6K

-94.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$944 PKR 261.7K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-93.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.64 PKR 3,781

$54.3 ฿1,785

-74.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.66 PKR 6,283

$25.45 ฿836

-10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 PKR 18.2K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-30.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.72 PKR 7,685

$73.4 ฿2,414

-62.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$490 ฿16.1K

-74.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.7 PKR 21.6K

$289 ฿9,510

-73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 PKR 70.6K

$894 ฿29.4K

-71.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 PKR 41.2K

$517 ฿17.0K

-71.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$953 PKR 264.2K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-51.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.3K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-65.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$106 PKR 29.5K

$602 ฿19.8K

-82.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

5.57

131.24%

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

Last update for Mehar: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Mehar 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.

Salaries run about 465% 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 $11.00 in Mehar versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $92.0 vs $240 – making Mehar 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 116% more than Mehar, 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 $658 per month in Mehar 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 Mehar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $44.27 per month in Mehar 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 162% 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 Mehar, where all-in costs run around $439, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Mehar 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. Mehar costs $439 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 Mehar. 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.